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Twelve Live-Wire Questions 
in Religious Dynamics 




Twelve Live-Wire Questions 
in Religious Dynamics 


By 

CHRISTIAN H. SHIRK, Ph.D., D.D. 


Introduction by 

Prof. GEORGE GAILEY CHAMBERS, Ph. D., 

University of Pennsylvania 



New York Chicago 

Fleming H. Revell Company 

London and Edinburgh 



Copyright, 1921, by 

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 


3^ 


MAR 11 72 


New York: 158 Fifth Avenue 
Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave. 
London: 21 Paternoster Square 
Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street 

§)CI. A654885 

, / . 


Introduction 

C HRISTIANITY has been an inher¬ 
ently dynamic religion for nearly 
nineteen hundred years. Its essential, 
fundamental facts and principles are few, but 
those few are full of force. Dr. Shirk has 
wisely chosen the word “ dynamic ” in describ¬ 
ing the series of questions discussed in this lit¬ 
tle book. Also the same word may very prop¬ 
erly be used to describe his treatment of those 
questions. Moreover he has covered the es¬ 
sential fundamental facts of Christianity. 

The book can easily be read at one sit¬ 
ting, but probably the better plan would be to 
read a chapter a day. I must confess, how¬ 
ever, that I found it difficult to stop reading 
one chapter after another, and I stopped only 
because the time had come when I had to go 
to one of my classes. 

Every real Christian should be loaded with 
ammunition with which to meet agnostics and 
skeptics, and to show up the fallacies of their 
arguments. Dr. Shirk has provided a good 
supply of such ammunition in a virile, concise, 
5 


6 


INTRODUCTION 


and yet clear-cut form. The book will be 
especially helpful to the man or woman who 
has occasion to discuss religious questions 
from the open public forum. 

Geo. Gailey Chambers. 

University of Pennsylvania, 

Philadelphia, Penna . 


Preface 


T HE contents of this volume were not 
originally intended for publication in 
book form. The substance of the 
material thus compiled was first presented to 
student groups at the University of Pennsyl¬ 
vania, under the auspices of the College Y. M. 
C. A. 

Upon the recommendation of Dean Frank 
P. Graves of the Department of Education of 
the University of Pennsylvania, and recently 
appointed Commissioner of Education of the 
State of New York, and Chancellor of The 
University of New York, the writer was re¬ 
quested to deliver a series of lectures to be fol¬ 
lowed by an open forum at the Central Y. M. 
C. A. of Philadelphia, as a feature of their 
School of Religious Education program for the 
season of 1920 and 1921. 

The desire of Mr. William O. Easton, Sec¬ 
retary of Religious Education of the Philadel¬ 
phia Y. M. C. A., was that a series of discus¬ 
sions should be conducted, setting forth the 
dynamic influence of Christianity. The chap- 
7 


8 


PREFACE 


ters of this book are intended to show some of 
the ways in which the religion of Jesus Christ 
has strongly influenced human life, thought, 
and progress. 

To those who heard the lectures, many of 
whom spoke words of cordial appreciation, and 
to those who may chance to read them on the 
pages of this book, this volume is prayerfully 
dedicated. 

C. H. S. 

Emmanuel Methodist Episcopal Church, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 


Contents 


1. Does It Make Any Difference 

Whether or Not We Believe in 
God ?.ii 

2. Is the Bible Also a Mere Scrap of 

Paper ?.20 

3. Was Jesus an Impractical Idealist ? 27 

4. How Did Democracy Come to Be? 34 

5. Does it Make any Difference 

Whether or Not We Believe in 
a Future Life ? . . . .39 

6 . Is the Church a Worth-While In¬ 

stitution ?.45 

7. Does it Make any Difference if 

We Pray?.55 

8. Should Christian Folks Inter¬ 

fere with Non-Christian Lands 
Through Missionary Propaganda ? 65 

9. What is the Ultimate Goal of 

Christian Effort ? . . .7 3 

10. Is the Present Crop of Humans an 

Improvement Over Those of 
Previous Times ? . . . .84 

11. What is a Twentieth Century 

Person to Do With a Sabbath 
Day ?.94 

12. Why Has There Been a Contro¬ 

versy About the Person of Jesus 
Christ?.104 


9 























I 


DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE 
WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE 
IN GOD? 

T HERE are those who seemingly regard 
belief in God as a harmless diversion, 
and of little practical consequence. 
To them it is but the relic of a superstitious 
primitive belief which will be outgrown by the 
world’s advanced culture. Others regard it as 
enslaving and pernicious, for such a belief re¬ 
strains people from violent revolutionary upris¬ 
ings, by means of which they can cast off their 
oppressors. They desire liberty. Their cry 
is, “ Down with all autocrats! ” And in their 
break for liberty they desire freedom from an 
imaginary Supreme Ruler, whom they regard 
as responsible for so much of the world’s op¬ 
pression, and so largely the ally of the capital¬ 
ist. Then there are those who regard belief 
in God as fundamental to the orderly conduct 
of human affairs, and the prime requisite in 
the development of our civilization. They rec- 

ii 


12 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


ognize this belief as the strongest social dy¬ 
namic in existence. 

In speaking of God we refer to the Supreme 
Being thus designated by the Scriptures. He 
is regarded as omnipotent, omnipresent, and 
omniscient. He is declared to be good, loving 
and wise. He approves righteousness, and 
condemns sin. The claim is that He created 
all things, and energizes, and directs this uni¬ 
verse; that He is the self-existent, uncreated, 
eternal Being. As such He is worshipped by 
millions of people. 

The question is, Does it make any difference 
if we believe in God, or do not believe in Him? 
The answer is an affirmative one. It makes a 
world of difference. Belief affects life most 
potently. 

It makes a difference intellectually. We can¬ 
not successfully account for the universe on 
any other hypothesis. Our universe is ration¬ 
ally constructed. To produce it, required a 
great Thinker. By believing in God, we have 
a good working hypothesis with which to ac¬ 
count for its existence. The best that the un¬ 
believer can say is, that it just happened that 
way. On discovering a Ford car, it is much 
more easy to conclude that Henry Ford exists, 
and is responsible for the car, than to say that 
certain materials just happened to assemble 


SHOULD WE BELIEVE IK GOD? 13 


themselves that way. So it is with the uni¬ 
verse ; it is more easy to conclude that God cre¬ 
ated than that blind force produced. A skep¬ 
tic might say that he has most thoroughly an¬ 
alyzed a Ford car, but was not able to discover 
Henry Ford. That is not surprising. No one 
expected that he would. Some, however, by 
similar methods come to the conclusion that 
God does not exist. 

Robert Ingersol and Henry Ward Beecher 
were good friends. One time when visiting 
Mr. Beecher, Mr. Ingersol was shown a device 
illustrating the movements of the planets and 
satellites of the solar system. Mr. Ingersol 
greatly admired this fine piece of mechanism 
and said, “ Mr. Beecher, who made that ? ” 
Mr. Beecher replied, “ Oh! No one made it; 
it just happened that way.” Mr. Ingersol ad¬ 
mitted the force of his reply. It required a 
God to devise and construct this great universe. 
Without God we do not know from whence we 
came, why we are here, or whither we are go¬ 
ing. Such lack of knowledge produces a very 
uncomfortable feeling. No one would like to 
be on a ship piloted by blind force. Voyagers 
feel better satisfied with a benevolent and wise 
pilot at the wheel, steering toward a satisfac^ 
tory destination. 

Our education consists in research work, 


14 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


thinking God’s thoughts after Him. True 
education leads to the conclusion of God’s ex¬ 
istence, rather than to a denial of Him. The 
religion of Jehovah has furnished this world 
with its strongest intellectual stimulus. Where 
there is no knowledge of Him, people are 
largely ignorant and superstitious. Western 
learning, which is a great by-product of 
Christianity, readily maintains its supremacy 
in the world’s culture. Knowing God’s truth 
furnishes freedom to the human mind. 

Belief in God makes a great difference mor¬ 
ally. Thinking of God as holy, loving, and 
beneficent, places Him before us as a model for 
our imitation. It has been observed that the 
inhabitants of this world have a tendency to be¬ 
come like the gods they serve. If their deities 
are dishonest, immoral, or murderous, their 
devotees will rise no higher in the moral scale 
than their objects of worship. 

Believing that God exists, His revealed word 
is readily accepted. That emphasizes right¬ 
eous living, and teaches that sin leads to suffer¬ 
ing. The believer discovers that it requires 
goodness to win the approval of his God. This 
supplies him with a potent moral uplift. Truly 
believing in God implies accepting Him as a 
model, and tending to become like Him in char¬ 
acter. 


SHOULD WE BELIEVE IN GOD ! 15 


Justice Brewer of the United States Supreme 
Court said a few years ago, before a body of 
Yale students, that crime increases to the ex¬ 
tent that the pulpit is silent in declaring the 
judgments of God against sin. 

A certain atheist was entertaining friends at 
dinner one day. They were in sympathy with 
his views, and engaged in a discussion of them 
while at dinner. Their host asked them to re¬ 
frain from any atheistic assertions in the pres¬ 
ence of his servants. When in surprise they 
asked him why he made this request, he replied 
that his life would not be safe in that house if 
they no longer believed in a God that punishes 
sin. 

In order to prepare the way for the German 
atrocities in Belgium and France, the leaders of 
German thought had to abandon their faith in 
the Christian God, and endeavoured to lead 
their people to do likewise. 

The Bolshevism of Russia and other lands 
could not exist without a renunciation of faith 
in God. They embrace atheism, and teach it. 
They desire license to follow the promptings of 
an unregenerate heart. It claims to be altruis¬ 
tic, but is perhaps the world’s worst species of 
selfishness. Jehovah, through His revealed 
will, seriously interferes with their licentious 
abandon. Hence He must be dethroned with 


16 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


other kings. With Him removed, sin likewise 
no longer exists; for sin is a transgression of 
the law of God. With no God, all restraint is 
cast off. 

It is impossible to maintain orderly civil gov¬ 
ernment in the world if God is dethroned. 
Eternal justice is grounded in a righteous God. 
Without the influence of faith in God, men will 
retrograde to the level of beasts, and in many 
respects to a much lower level. 

Belief in God makes a difference religiously. 
If God exists, we can enter into spiritual fel¬ 
lowship with Him. We are created in His 
image and can have intelligent communion with 
Him. Knowing Him to be a loving Father, 
we can draw nigh unto Him in spiritual fellow¬ 
ship. We discover His love to be redeeming 
love. Just as a lover delights to fulfill the de¬ 
sires of the one loved, so does the believer aim 
to please his God. He is controlled in his 
conduct by the love of God. It constrains him 
to do God's bidding. 

Man is a religious animal. He has the God 
intuition. He has the capacity for discerning 
God. Helen Kellei, the deaf and blind girl, 
when for the first time being told about God, 
by Bishop Brooks, said, “ I have always 
known Him, only I did not know what to 
name Him.” 


SHOULD WE BELIEVE IN GOD? 17 


We cannot scientifically prove God. He is 
thus undemonstrable. He can be perceived by 
faith. We can say with Tennyson: 

“ Strong Son of God, immortal love, 

Whom we that have not seen Thy face, 

By faith, and faith alone embrace, 
Believing where we cannot prove.” 

Lack of faith makes it impossible to realize 
God. Faith is the spiritual medium by means 
of which we can know God. Those who have 
a vital faith are pure in heart, and hence have 
the capacity of perceiving God. The believer 
readily takes Tennyson's advice: 

" Speak to Him thou, for He hears thee, 

And spirit with Spirit can meet; 

Closer is He than breathing, 

And nearer than hands or feet.” 

God does certain things for those who be¬ 
lieve in Him that He cannot do for others. 
He furnishes them with His salvation, and 
answers all of their properly conditioned 
prayers. 

Those who love the law of God find that they 
obtain great peace thereby. Many will testify 
that they find great comfort in their Christian 
faith while meeting with life’s varied experi¬ 
ences. 


18 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


The believer in Jehovah possesses a well- 
grounded optimism. He is certain that he is a 
participant in a triumphant cause. According 
to Biblical teaching, it will also make a great 
difference in the next world if we have properly 
related ourselves to God in this one. 

Only he who will exercise a vital faith can 
obtain the benefits thereof. Sam Jones illus¬ 
trates this in a homely way. He tells the story 
of how he saw a contrivance in a western state 
by means of which steers could water them¬ 
selves. By stepping upon a platform in front 
of a trough, a hydrant would be opened, filling 
the trough. He said he could imagine some 
skeptical steer looking at that device, and say¬ 
ing, “ I don’t take any stock in that thing. I 
can’t see any water in that trough.” And thus 
would fail to slake his thirst. A much simpler 
minded steer might come along, and say, 
“ Here is a watering trough, I will go up to it, 
and drink.” And, stepping upon the platform 
by faith, he obtains a refreshing draught. 
Skepticism has prevented many from obtaining 
a realization of God in the soul. 

Those who believe in God, and draw nigh 
unto Him by faith, discover the reality of the 
great and good Spirit. Those who fail in this, 
deprive their souls of their deepest satisfaction, 
and only true life. 


SHOULD WE BELIEVE IN GOD? 19 


It made a big difference with Thomas Car¬ 
lyle when all of a sudden he was led to exclaim, 
“ I believe in God! ” He had no God be¬ 
fore. His earlier writings were depressingly 
pessimistic. After that, a splendid optimism 
characterized his writings. It makes a differ¬ 
ence if we live in God’s world, or in a godless 
world. 

When God spake to Moses out of the burn¬ 
ing bush, He told him to take off his sandals, 
for he is standing upon holy ground. If 
Moses had not in reverence removed his shoes, 
and drawn near by faith, he never would have 
discovered who “ I AM,” the self-existent 
one, is. It is only those who remove the san¬ 
dals of sin and unbelief that get a satisfactory 
revelation of God unto their souls. 

Has this picture been painted in colours too 
rich? A certain person viewed the paintings 
of a famous artist, and offered to criticise 
them. He said to the artist, “ I have never 
been able to see such rich colours in nature as 
you have put into that sunset scene.” The 
artist who could see things with a trained eye, 
and had the ability of vision, sympathetically 
replied, “ Don’t you wish you could ? ” To 
such as are not able, because of unbelief, to see 
God, we can fittingly and sympathetically say, 
“ Don’t you wish you could ? ” 


II 


IS THE BIBLE ALSO A MERE SCRAP OF 
PAPER? 



iHE ex-kaiser of Germany and his as¬ 


sociates in power advised the British 


-®- nation to regard a solemn treaty with 
Belgium as a mere scrap of paper. They 
themselves dealt with international law in that 
fashion. Sacred covenants between men are 
often regarded as mere scraps of paper. 

Much of the world’s literature has but a 
passing value. It interests people to-day, and 
to-morrow something else is required to com¬ 
mand their attention. Scientific books become 
antiquated in a few years’ time. 

Is the Bible a mere bit of worthless paper, 
and does it take its place with the world’s pass¬ 
ing literature? The question must be an¬ 
swered negatively. The Bible is possessed of a 
dynamic element that makes it a book abso¬ 
lutely unique when you seek to classify it. 

The Bible has high literary merit. It deals 
with the loftiest themes in a masterly style. 
It has been the source of literary inspiration to 


20 


IS THE BIBLE “ A SCRAP.OF PAPER” 1 21 

many of the world’s great writers. Many 
Biblical quotations are found in the writings 
of Shakespeare. Tennyson, Browning and 
Whittier were exponents of Biblical truth. 
John Ruskin declared that he owes his fine 
literary style to the fact that his mother read 
to him from the Bible when he was a mere 
lad, reading the entire Bible to him again and 
again. 

It has great endurance. Many have sought 
to treat it as a mere scrap of paper from the 
days of Jehoiakim to the present time. It has 
been hated on account of interfering with the 
selfish lusts of men. They have sought to un¬ 
dermine and overthrow it. No book has ever 
been subjected to the acid test as has the Bible. 
It has been pronounced antiquated, and dead, 
again and again. Eloquent funeral orations 
have repeatedly been delivered over its sup¬ 
posedly lifeless remains, but it is still here. It 
is studied as never before. An increasing 
number of copies are turned out by printing- 
presses from year to year. Among books it is 
the best seller of the day. 

Voltaire said, “ It took twelve men to estab¬ 
lish Christianity. I will show you that it will 
take but one man to destroy it.” After his 
death the very room in which he wrote those 
words became the property of the British and 


22 TWELVE LIVE-WIKE QUESTIONS 


Foreign Bible Society, and was stacked from 
floor to ceiling with copies of the Holy Scrip¬ 
tures. It will endure as long as time lasts, and 
supply our human needs. The Bible of to¬ 
morrow will not be choice selections of the 
world’s best literature, combined in a single 
volume, as some have predicted. It will be 
nothing other than the time-honoured Hebrew, 
and New Testament Scriptures. 

The Bible is clearly of divine origin. It was 
written by human agents, but they spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The 
proof of its divine origin is, it reveals God. Its 
supreme revelation is contained in Jesus Christ. 
He is the central figure of the book. It is not 
a unitary book, as far as human authorship is 
concerned. There were at least thirty-six 
writers who wrote throughout a period of six¬ 
teen centuries. It is a sacred library of sixty- 
six books. But they are unitary in purpose, 
and in divine inspiration. All seek to make 
men righteous, and bring them into fellowship 
with God. 

Many miracles are recorded in the Scrip¬ 
tures, but the greatest miracle of all is, the way 
righteousness is exalted in it. The leading 
proof of its inspiration is the fact that it in¬ 
spires those who reverently study it. 

The Bibte is possessed of great power. 


IS THE BIBLE “ A SCRAP OF PAPER ” f 23 


There is a power in literature. This was well 
exemplified in the war literature that was is¬ 
sued to put through the various drives. Vol¬ 
unteers came forward, money was offered, and 
lives were freely given in response to the ap¬ 
peals of our war literature. Propagandas of 
all kinds are carried on through the means of 
tract literature. Our newspapers are a mighty 
force in the thought life of to-day. But no 
other literature has so gripped the hearts of 
men and led them forth to deeds of greatest 
heroism and sacrifice as has the Bible. 

It is the only influence of true worth, in the 
world’s literature, in the process of character 
building. It is the blue-print for that kind of 
construction. 

The Bible has exerted a wide influence in the 
world. It has furnished Christian nurture for 
childhood. It has liberated womanhood. It 
has abolished slavery. It is seeking to abolish 
war. It is exterminating intemperance. It 
contains the only remedy for the world’s eco¬ 
nomic ills. It is responsible for the world’s 
democracy. It has wonderfully influenced the 
world’s literature. It has given it its highest 
art and best music. Unbelief cannot produce 
real art, poetry, or music. 

It furnishes salvation to men. Millions have 
believed its sacred promises, and discovered 


24 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

them to be bed rock. The Bible has trans¬ 
formed the lives of countless multitudes. It 
declares our origin, the purpose of our exist¬ 
ence, and reveals our destiny. 

Heathenism with its accompanying immoral¬ 
ity prevails wherever the Scriptures are un¬ 
known. Missionaries have gone with their 
Bibles into heathen lands and transformed 
them. Charles Darwin was astonished at what 
was done in a comparatively short time by mis¬ 
sionaries among the natives of Patagonia. He 
had seen the natives before, and then again 
after their Christianization. He did not be¬ 
lieve that such a transformation could be ef¬ 
fected in less than a few centuries. He became 
a liberal contributor to the mission cause there¬ 
after. 

In pioneer days, here in America, circuit 
riders came into settlements and transformed 
them. The only instrument they used was the 
word of God. In their hands it was indeed 
quick and powerful, and sharper than any two- 
edged sword. The best apologetic for the 
Bible is its effect upon the believer’s life. 

It is the sword of the Spirit to the tempted 
man. Jesus wielded it in His temptation with 
telling effect. The person who hides God’s 
word in his heart will, with the Psalmist, find 
it a safeguard against sin. It affords a conso- 


IS THE BIBLE “ A SCRAP OF PAPER ” t 25 


lation in sorrow and distress as no other book 
does. Many a dead soldier was found in the 
recent war with his pocket Testament held 
tightly in his death grip. It is said that when 
Sir Walter Scott lay dying he asked his son-in- 
law to read to him. He wished to know from 
what book he was to read. Scott replied, 
“ There is but one book.” The Bible is not 
merely a book, it is the book. Those who 
have influenced this world most for good 
were all devout Bible students. 

The Bible makes its appeal to all classes from 
the most unlettered to the profoundest think¬ 
ers. It makes its appeal to all races. It is a 
book for all ages. It is the chart and compass 
to guide to the Celestial City. Without it men 
are lost in the darkness of this world’s desola¬ 
tion. It cleanses by its purifying stream. It 
quenches the soul’s thirst, and feeds it with 
heavenly bread. Those who taste it find it 
“ sweeter than honey or the honeycomb.” 

Many have failed to discover the charm and 
worth of this book. They are prejudiced 
against it, and hence fail to obtain a true ap¬ 
preciation of it. When General Lew Wallace 
undertook to write “ Ben Hur,” he was a skep¬ 
tic. It was necessary for him to study such 
literature as would get him acquainted with 
oriental life. So as to portray the character of 


26 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


Jesus he had to study most carefully the New 
Testament. The result was that he was capti¬ 
vated by the book, and lost his skepticism. He 
devoted the remainder of his life to earnest 
Christian service. The word of God is truly, 
“ Quick, and powerful, and sharper than any 
two-edged sword.” It would be impossible to 
compute the full extent to which the Bible has 
influenced human life, and directed the course 
of the world’s history. 

“ Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith’s door, 
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime; 
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor 

Old hammers worn with beating years of 
time. 

“ ‘ How many anvils have you had/ said I, 

‘To wear and batter all these hammers so ?’ 

‘ Just one/ said he, and then with twinkling 
eye, 

‘The anvil wears the hammers out, you 
know/ 

“‘And so/ I thought, ‘the Anvil of God’s 
Word 

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon, 

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was 
heard, 

The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers 
gone/ ” 


Ill 


WAS JESUS AN IMPRACTICAL 
IDEALIST? 

J ESUS went up into a mountain to an¬ 
nounce some of the fundamental laws of 
His Kingdom, generally known as The 
Sermon on the Mount. His teaching was 
mountain top in character. His disciples could 
come up to Him to hear His message. Could 
they come up to Him in practicing what He 
taught? Did Jesus teach a morality that was 
unattainable; or if attainable, would not be of 
practical worth? A certain minister was in¬ 
troduced to a man as Dr. Blank. The man 
asked him where he practices medicine. The 
preacher replied that he does not practice, he 
preaches. The impression seems to be on the 
part of many that the ethical teachings of Jesus 
furnish good subject matter for preaching, but 
are too idealistic for practical purposes. 

Let us review some of the things He taught. 
He declared that the poor in spirit, the meek, 
merciful, peacemakers, pure in heart, those 
hungering and thirsting after righteousness, 
27 


28 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


and those persecuted for righteousness’ sake 
are in a blessedly happy condition. These are 
the ones that measure up to the requirements 
of His Kingdom. He taught that if you are 
smitten on one cheek to turn the other also. 
He said, “ Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, and do good to them that hate you, 
and pray for those who despitefully use you, 
and persecute you.” “All things that ye would 
that men should do unto you, do ye even so 
unto them.” He declared that it is more need¬ 
ful to keep the inner life right than merely to 
observe certain outward proprieties. In grati¬ 
fying one’s ambition to be great, he should seek 
to be a minister and servant unto others. In 
order to meet with largest success one should 
seek first the Kingdom of God and His right¬ 
eousness. He asked people to be as perfect as 
God the Father is perfect. By selfishly saving 
our life we lose it, and gain it by unselfishly 
devoting it to the good of our fellowmen. 

He entered upon the task of winning men 
unto Himself, who would put these principles 
into practice. Thus He purposed to establish 
an inner kingdom of righteousness among men. 

In His final judgment scene, He showed that 
those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, 
visit the sick and imprisoned, and give a cup of 
cold water in a Christian spirit, will obtain the 


WAS JESUS MEBELY AN IDEALIST 1 29 

divine approval. He strongly emphasized the 
Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of 
man as the foundation of His Kingdom. He 
asked people to forsake all, and deny them¬ 
selves, and take up their cross and follow Him. 
He Himself was an embodiment of His teach¬ 
ing, and He asked others to imitate Him. 

The question is, Are His idealistic teach¬ 
ings practical? Some of the recent German 
writers declared His teachings in the Sermon 
on the Mount as being the utterances of a 
weakling, and utterly a failure in practical life. 
Instead of the meek inheriting the earth, the 
haughty do so. Peacemakers are the enemies 
of society, they declared. War makers are 
the ones who advance the world, and produce 
a strong race. They urged seeking happiness 
in persecuting, rather than in being persecuted 
for righteousness’ sake. Their nation tried 
this selfish scheme. They succeeded in prov¬ 
ing at least one Scripture passage, which tells 
us that pride goeth before destruction, and a 
haughty spirit before a fall. In their pride as 
supermen they did not inherit the earth. They 
lost territory, and impoverished themselves. 
They denounced mercy as a thing that hinders 
progress, and that the strong will neither show 
nor request. They finally, however, begged 
for it in utter disgrace. Instead of war bring- 


30 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


ing to them physical strength, it destroyed 
most of their able-bodied men, and created 
conditions which are resulting in physical de¬ 
terioration. 

Some years ago, Mr. Wu Ting Fang, the 
prominent Chinese statesman, addressed an 
audience in New York City. He compared 
Christianity with Confucianism. He approved 
of the golden rule, calling attention to Con¬ 
fucius having stated it in negative form. 
But he regarded Jesus' request to love our 
enemies as a very difficult and impractical 
one. And to turn the other cheek when ‘smit¬ 
ten on the one, he regarded as “ meekness with 
a vengeance.” But the United States returned 
the indemnity to China, thus returning good 
for evil, and China became the firm friend of 
America. 

In Russia, the Bolshevists have trampled 
morality under foot, and have brought a curse 
upon their land. They would not follow the 
golden rule policy in government administra¬ 
tion. 

It seems to take this world a long time to 
find out the practical worth of righteousness. 
The truly great men of this world have not 
become great at the expense of others, but 
rather through serving others. The wolf, 
hyena, and lion are disappearing, while the 


WAS JESUS MERELY AN IDEALIST? 31 

lamb is still here more largely than ever. The 
warlike ones are bound to perish by the sword, 
while the meek inherit the earth. 

The question has often been asked, Can 
you succeed in business on the golden rule 
principle? Many believe that it cannot be 
done, and refuse to embrace Christianity, be¬ 
lieving that they would meet with failure if 
they attempted it. 

All of the economic unrest of the world is 
due to the fact that men are not ready to do 
business according to the teaching of Jesus. 
As nations cannot prosper by seeking to des¬ 
troy each other, so individuals cannot enjoy 
true prosperity by seeking to devour each 
other. Cooperation is a Christian virtue. All 
can get along better by mutual helpfulness 
than by selfish rivalry. Those corporations 
that take their employees into friendly part¬ 
nership, and see to it that they are properly 
compensated, are on the most sound footing 
to-day. 

In helping the weak, the strong become 
stronger. The Good Samaritan was the man 
with the big and happy soul, and not the 
priest, or the Levite. The man who, on a 
frigid day, found another who was freezing 
to death in a blizzard, and who at once busied 
himself in rubbing his unfortunate fellow- 


32 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


traveller with snow, developed a warmth 
within himself that saved his own life as well 
as that of another. That is the teaching of 
Jesus, that we gain our life by expending it in 
the service of our fellowmen. To serve God 
we must serve our brothers. 

Millions of lives and money have been ex¬ 
pended on war. Sorrows untold have thus 
been caused. If Jesus' teaching were observed 
there would be an end of war. We would 
have a league of nations that would be more 
than a mere scrap of paper. 

Jesus was not an idle dreamer. He is in¬ 
finitely the world's most practical philosopher. 
The only ethics worthy of the name, ever pro¬ 
pounded among men, is Christian ethics. 

This world has conducted its affairs so 
largely on a selfish basis. Both John the Bap¬ 
tist and Jesus declared that repentance is 
needed to enter the Kingdom that has come 
nigh. To enter the Kingdom of Jesus and 
promote it, requires a crucifixion of one’s self¬ 
ish nature. It is needful to be controlled by 
the love of God as applied by the Holy Spirit. 
It is not enough to know the teachings of Jesus 
to practice them. It takes regenerated men to 
prove their practicability. If we sit at the feet 
of the Master as did the disciples when He 
taught them, and then wait with them in the 


WAS JESUS MERELY AN IDEALIST ? 33 


upper room for the enduement of power, we 
will find that the whole Christian scheme is 
a most practical one. After the day of Pen¬ 
tecost it became most natural for them to 
break bread with each other, and to minister 
to each other’s wants. 

Many have attempted to invent improved 
religions, but have utterly failed. The religion 
of Jesus is the one intended for the human 
heart, and to promote the right social relation¬ 
ship. Only that can bring true happiness and 
peace. The gates of a new life for this world 
can be opened only by the hand of Him about 
whom Robert Browning wrote in Saul: 

“ ’Tis the weakness in strength, that I cry for! 
my flesh that I seek 

In the Godhead! I seek and I find it. O 
Saul, it shall be 

A Face like my face that receives thee; a 
Man like to me, 

Thou shalt love and be loved by, forever; a 
Hand like this hand 

Shall throw open the gates of new life to 
thee! See the Christ stand! ” 


IV 

HOW DID DEMOCRACY COME TO BE? 

T HE ancient forms of government 
were almost exclusively autocratic 
and oppressive. A few minor ex¬ 
periments in democracy were made in ancient 
Greece and Rome. The first experiment in 
modern democracy was made by Switzerland. 
This was followed by the Dutch Republic. 
The Pilgrim fathers, who were lovers of lib¬ 
erty, sojourned for a while in Holland be¬ 
fore coming to Massachusetts. It was there 
that their vision and appreciation of liberty 
were enlarged. They brought with them the 
seeds of liberty to their new home. The out¬ 
come was, American freedom. Later, France 
threw aside its yoke of oppression, and joined 
the ranks of free countries. Britain modified 
its government in such a way as virtually to 
become a republic. China, tiring of her an¬ 
cient system of tyranny, had her revolution, 
and established herself as a democracy. All 
American countries south of the United States 
34 


HOW DID DEMOCRACY COME TO BE 1 35 

patterned their government after that of the 
land of Washington and Lincoln. Cuba was 
providentially added to this list. 

Russia suddenly dethroned its Czar and be¬ 
came a republic. As an outcome of the war 
imperial Germany was added to the list of 
free nations. Those countries of Europe that 
still maintain the monarchical form of govern¬ 
ment are limited monarchies, and limited mon¬ 
archies are in reality democracies. 

Democracy did not only affect civil govern¬ 
ment in the middle ages, but it began to as¬ 
sert itself in matters ecclesiastical as well. 
The great Protestant Reformation was a 
world movement in the direction of democ¬ 
racy. The position of laymen in modern 
church government is an outgrowth of this 
democratizing tendency. 

What has been the dynamic influence which 
promoted democracy? 

To obtain our answer, we must go back to 
the founder of Christianity, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. He is the originator of world free¬ 
dom. He came to set at liberty the captives. 
He taught certain truths which have exerted 
an untold influence upon the minds of men 
and guided them to their freedom. 

Jesus taught that God is the Father of the 
human race, and that all men are brethren. 


36 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

Brothers are not expected to exercise lordship 
over each other, and enslave each other. They 
are supposed to have equal rights. He enun¬ 
ciated the golden rule, which would prevent 
any man from oppressing his brother man. 
He taught that great men are those who min¬ 
ister unto others, and not those who exercise 
lordship over others. Jesus was the great 
champion of the divine rights of all men. He 
never intimated that the masses are good only 
for exploitation and cannon fodder. Each 
individual has infinite value in His estimation. 
Christianity struck a death blow at the caste 
system when it taught each to consider the 
other better than himself. 

Popular education, one of the great by-prod¬ 
ucts of Christianity, has proven itself to be a 
foe of oppression, and a friend of democracy. 
Ignorance has enabled tyranny to flourish. 
Tyrants have always sought to keep their sub¬ 
jects in ignorance, and under the sway of 
superstition. The doctrine of the Divine 
Right of Kings cannot long be maintained 
after people become enlightened. The nation 
that has its education unfettered, and supports 
its educational institutions best, is the freest 
nation. Nothing has so unfettered the mind 
as the religion of Jesus Christ. It has de¬ 
veloped the world's best education. 


HOW DID DEMOCRACY COME TO BE? 37 

Christianity ever does: 

“ Ring out a slowly dying cause, 

And ancient forms of party strife; 

Ring in the nobler modes of life, 

With sweeter manners, purer laws.” 

Humanity is possessed of an innate love of 
freedom. The Christian teaching makes its 
appeal to this deep-seated instinct, and helps 
men to realize their coveted desire. 

In this series of discussions the effort is 
made to show how the Christian religion has 
exerted a potent influence in the world. We 
therefore notice that it has very radically in¬ 
fluenced civil government. 

Politically, people are most free when they 
govern themselves. The word democracy is 
composed of two Greek words, damos—peo¬ 
ple, and kratos—power, meaning, therefore, 
the power of the people to rule. Jesus Christ 
is the one person who is capable of bringing 
people to the realization of their just rights. 
He has most truly been called “ The World’s 
Supreme Democrat.” He was a man among 
men. The common people heard Him gladly. 
He was a friend of the outcast, and ate with 
the publicans and sinners. He, however, also 
fraternized with Nicodemus, the rich young 
man, and Simon the Pharisee. 

Democracy does not imply the rule of any 


38 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


one exclusive class, even if that class be the 
so-called common people. It implies the rule 
of all the people, in which the rights of all 
classes are safeguarded. A Soviet form of 
government could qualify as a true democracy 
only when all social groups in it are given a 
just representation. 

The best fruits of democracy can be had 
only when a country is truly Christian. A 
government “ of the people, by the people, and 
for the people” cannot exceed the moral 
standards of those who constitute the govern¬ 
ment. 

The chief work of Jesus is not that of 
bringing to men their civil freedom, but to re¬ 
deem them from the slavery of sin. He Him¬ 
self is the truth, and men knowing that truth 
are made free. The higher freedom is spir¬ 
itual freedom from error and sin. 

“ Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron 
bars a cage. 

Minds innocent and quiet take that for an 
hermitage. 

If I have freedom in my love, and in my soul 
am free, 

Angels alone which soar above, enjoy such 
liberty.” 

Jesus declared a truth implying much when 
He said, “If the Son therefore shall make 
you free, ye shall be free indeed.” 



V 


DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE 
WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE 
IN A FUTURE LIFE? 

B Y a future life we mean that death 
affects only the physical body; and 
the soul, being immortal, lives beyond 
the grave. Christian belief in a future life 
is based more upon revelation than scientific 
evidence, or philosophic reason. Hence we 
must depend mainly upon Bible teaching for 
our more definite conceptions of immortality. 

Our belief in a future life makes a differ¬ 
ence intellectually. We are all desirous to 
know why we are placed in this world. If 
we are placed here to live, at the most only a 
few score of years, and then to be no more, 
life in most instances would not be worth 
living. If there is a great future before us, 
and a great purpose in our life, then the riddle 
of our existence is solved. We have the in¬ 
stinct of immortality, and Christian faith 
gratifies this instinctive desire to live on, and 
in a better world than this. 

39 


40 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


It is no strain upon rational thinking to be¬ 
lieve in our immortality. It is less wonderful 
that we should in a living way survive death 
than that we should live at all. A process of 
life that can take inanimate material, and 
transmute it into living tissue, may well have 
in it a provision for the soul’s liberation, and 
transfer to a higher stage of existence. If we 
have faith to believe that there is a continued 
existence beyond the grave, we feel that we 
have arrived at a very satisfactory solution of 
one of our greatest problems. 

Should we conclude that we can best ex¬ 
plain our origin by an evolutionary hypothesis, 
we need not discard our faith in immortality. 
Evolution seems to be purposeful. “ For we 
hold through all the ages, one increasing pur¬ 
pose runs. ” If this be so, then there is a 
fine place for immortality in that scheme. It 
becomes the ultimate goal of the evolutionary 
process. 

It is inconceivable that a wise Creator 
would have laboured for ages to produce His 
masterpiece of the human soul, only to cast it 
finally “ as rubbish to the void.” God is more 
reasonably labouring to produce something to 
keep,—and that is worth keeping. 

If spiritually we are the offspring of God, 
we must be immortal. We are thus con- 


WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE LIFE? 41 


structed of God material, and must remain as 
enduring as the eternal God. Our faith in 
immortality is therefore as rationally grounded 
as our faith in the existence of God. 

Our belief in immortality makes a differ¬ 
ence in heart life. By it the Christian be¬ 
liever is assured that there is a blessed place 
in waiting for him “ after the house of his 
earthly tabernacle is dissolved. ,, To him the 
words of Jesus are supremely consoling, 
when He says, “ Let not your heart be trou¬ 
bled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 
In my Father's house are many mansions: if 
it were not so, I would have told you. I go 
to prepare a place for you, and if I go and 
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and 
receive you unto myself; that where I am, 
there ye may be also." Believing this teach¬ 
ing makes the future radiant with promise. 
Christianity thus terminates gloriously. 

This Christian hope makes suffering more 
endurable. The distressed one can comfort 
himself with the thought that his sufferings 
will not last always, and that there is before 
him a to-morrow that is full of joy, and free 
from pain and care. Paul put a rich meaning 
into the suffering of a believer when he said, 
“ For our light affliction which is but for a 
moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding 


42 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

and eternal weight of glory.” Many a one 
has thus found grace to endure persecution 
and affliction, remaining joyful in the midst 
of all adversities, believing that “ to those that 
love God, all things work together for good.” 

Our belief in a hereafter makes a big moral 
difference. Revelation declares that there are 
two possible destinies in the future world. 
While the evil and the good may live to¬ 
gether here, they will be separated in the next 
world, and each one must go to his own place. 
The condition of getting to heaven is based 
upon moral and spiritual fitness. In the first 
epistle of John we are told that “ every man 
that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, 
even as He is pure.” The preparation for ad¬ 
mission to heaven qualifies one best for true 
living in this present life. Since Christlike- 
ness is the requirement for final approval, a 
strong incentive for righteous living is thus 
created. 

The feeling largely prevails that it will re¬ 
quire a judgment day, and a hereafter, to 
make right the many wrongs of this present 
life. 

The hope of heaven makes optimists of all 
who have it. They have their faces turned 
toward the sunrise. They do not look back¬ 
ward to departed glories nor forward to deep- 


WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE LIFE? 43 


ening gloom. They look toward a future, ra¬ 
diant with promise. “ The pathway of the 
righteous is as a shining light, shining more 
and more unto the perfect day.” 

The hopeful Christian is well described by 
Robert Browning in his Epilogue to Asolando, 
as 

“ One who never turned his back but marched 
breast forward, 

Never doubted clouds would break, 

Never dreamed, though right were worsted, 
wrong would triumph. 

Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight 
better, 

Sleep to wake. 

No, at noonday in the bustle of man's work¬ 
time, 

Greet the unseen with a cheer! 

Bid him forward, breast and back as either 
should be, 

* Strive and thrive! ’ cry * Speed,—fight on, 
fare ever 
There as here! ’ ” 

What our future will be, lies largely in our 
own control. We are very reasonably assured 
that we will be rewarded according to the 
deeds done in the body. The story is told of 
a wealthy woman who had an Irish servant 
girl. This servant girl was an earnest Chris- 


44 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


tian, and supported the various benevolences 
almost as largely as did her mistress. Her 
mistress desiring to see more of a contrast 
between her own gifts and those of her serv¬ 
ant, urged her not to be so liberal in her of¬ 
ferings. But she persisted in doing so. The 
mistress had a dream one night. She dreamed 
that she died, and arrived in heaven. An 
angel met her, and took her around to show 
her the place. They stopped before a beauti¬ 
ful mansion, and the angel said, “ This man¬ 
sion is the one to be occupied by Bridget. ,, 
“ What! ” she exclaimed. “ Is my 5 servant 
girl to live in a mansion like that?” “If 
she is to have a palace like that, I wonder how 
gorgeous mine must be,” she reasoned within 
herself. They passed on to the outlying sec¬ 
tion of the city, and finally turned up a much 
narrower street. She also noticed that the 
farther up the street they went the smaller 
the houses became. When they came near the 
end of the street she was shown into a mod¬ 
est, neat little cottage, and was told that it was 
to be her abode in heaven. She inquired why 
her servant girl should be given a much more 
beautiful place than she, and was told, “We 
built for you the best house we could out of 
the material you sent up.” 


VI 


IS THE CHURCH A WORTH-WHILE 
INSTITUTION? 

T HE word Churchy according to its 
modern language root, evidently re¬ 
fers to the people of the Lord. The 
Greek, “ Ecclesia, ,, refers to those “ called 
out ” from among the masses, and constituted 
a body of the followers of Jesus. Narrow 
ecclesiastics would undoubtedly say that the 
Church is composed of those who belong to 
their own denomination. In this discussion 
it refers to all true followers of Christ 
wherever found. Such a body alone can be 
“ the holy Catholic Church ” of the Apostles’ 
Creed. 

The Church has its origin in the teaching 
and personal influence of Jesus Christ. It 
had its inception in the Jewish synagogue. 
Numerically it grew from one lone Babe in 
Bethlehem’s manger, more than nineteen cen¬ 
turies ago, to about five hundred million ad¬ 
herents at the present time. It has endured 
throughout this period, in spite of much per¬ 
secution, from the days of Herod to the Ar- 
45 


46 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


menian massacres of our day. It represents a 
tree of many branches. But all of these 
branches have somehow an apostolic succes¬ 
sion either directly or indirectly. 

The Church has not had a faultless record. 
As it obtained power and influence, it fre¬ 
quently persecuted those who failed to agree 
with its original bodies. It has been censured 
for hypocrisy, some declaring that all pro¬ 
fessing Christians are hypocrites. It has been 
charged with possessing a caste consciousness 
void of democratic sociability. A pastor of 
an exclusive church did tell an applicant for 
membership that they have no vacancies at 
the present time. Lack of charitable consid¬ 
eration for others is often manifest. It has 
been guilty of maintaining a form of godli¬ 
ness minus its power. A lack of cordiality 
toward strangers, and selfish clannishness is 
sometimes evident. It has made itself guilty 
of unfair criticism of those who belong to 
other religious bodies. Contentions have fre¬ 
quently arisen that have disgraced its cause. 
It has often manifested a woeful lack of in¬ 
terest in its own community, and in the world 
at large. Some have used it as a moral cloak 
in order to perpetrate fraud. 

Shall we then conclude that it is a failure 
and not worth the serious consideration of 


IS THE CHURCH WORTH WHILE ? 47 


thoughtful men? Before we do that, let us 
see if we can find any merits in it, and put 
them on the other side of the balance. To the 
Church was committed the task of evangeliz¬ 
ing the world, by its Founder. It has ever 
since been largely the custodian of the sacred 
Scriptures and the oracles of God. It was 
launched in a pagan and heathen world. To 
have made a career such as it did, at least 
proves that there is some virility and power 
of endurance in it. The hymn writer spoke 
fittingly when he said: 

“ Oh, where are kings and empires now, 

Of old that went and came ? 

But Lord, Thy Church is praying yet, 

A thousand years the same/’ 

The Church attacked the surrounding 
heathenism, and conquered it, and created a 
Christian civilization. Some centuries ago 
our own ancestors were savages in the wilds 
of Europe, drinking their wine out of the 
skull bones of their slain enemies. 

But did not the World War indicate that 
Christianity has failed? That war was not 
caused by Christianity, unless indirectly on 
account of the democracy it fostered. The 
war resulted more from a revival of pagan¬ 
ism. The side most largely representing pa- 


48 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


ganism lost, and that which was more largely 
actuated by Christian idealism won. 

Some of the by-products of our Christian 
civilization are, advanced education, the 
world’s best music, art, and literature, greater 
wealth, better health, great inventions, better 
physical comforts, and numerous social re¬ 
forms. 

The chief product of the Church, however, 
is saintly character. To produce this, Jesus 
Christ has been presented to men as their 
Saviour. Through the transforming influence 
of His saving power the world’s best citizens 
are produced. 

We can scarcely imagine what the condi¬ 
tion of the world would be to-day had it not 
been for Christianity. Read Gibbon’s history 
of Rome, and find out about the morals of 
men before the Empire was Christianized. 
Or listen to a returned missionary who will 
tell you frankly about the morals prevalent in 
raw heathenism to-day. In this way you can 
in a measure realize what God has wrought 
through the Church. 

An agnostic who got tired of seeing church 
steeples, and hearing church bells, and listen¬ 
ing to Christian appeals, concluded to move 
to a pioneer town out west where there was 
no church. He was a man with a family. 


IS THE CHURCH WORTH WHILE? 49 


He lived there for some time, and tried to 
bring up his family in a decent way. But the 
town was wholly abandoned to iniquity. 
There was no Christian restraint in the place. 
He finally wrote a letter to one of his college 
chums who entered the ministry, and begged 
him to come out to their town, and start a 
Sunday-school and church. He declared that 
the place was not fit to live in, and much less 
for raising a family of children. 

In what was once considered a western 
state, a certain district concluded to prevent 
all churches from getting a foothold. For 
some time they were all rigidly excluded. 
Adjoining them was a district settled by 
Christian people. The outcome was, that in 
the Christian community they soon estab¬ 
lished a college, which is now a leading edu¬ 
cational institution. The Christian com¬ 
munity has raised a body of eminent men who 
have been shining lights in education, and in 
all the higher callings of the Church and 
State. They have churches now in the orig¬ 
inal non-Christian community, but it has al¬ 
ways remained backward, and their descend¬ 
ants are labouring under a serious handicap. 
They have furnished no citizens of promi¬ 
nence to their country. 

Some years ago a railroad had to be 


50 TWELVE LIVE-WIKE QUESTIONS 

abandoned in the southwest. It ran through 
a section of country that had no churches. 
The employees of the road were so dishonest, 
as were also the inhabitants which the road 
sought to serve, that it was impossible to make 
it pay. 

Countries with low morals, such as Turkey, 
cannot prosper financially. Banks and the 
credit system cannot exist where there is no 
foundation of trustworthy character. The 
greatest economic prosperity ensues where the 
social teachings of Jesus are taught and prac¬ 
ticed. 

Why is it that so many people are not in the 
Church? Some do not wish to forsake their 
sinful life. Some dislike the Church on ac¬ 
count of its imperfections. They should, how¬ 
ever, be advised if they ever find a perfect 
church not to join it. Because if they did, 
it would no longer be a perfect church. 

The Church is not a Perfect Saints’ Club. 
The Church is rather a hospital for the cure 
of souls. The conditions of admission are an 
acknowledgment of ailments, and a desire to 
be cured. No sick one would say: “ I do not 
care to be admitted to a hospital, because 
there are some there who are even more sick 
than I am.” Yet some say that about the 
Church. 


IS THE CHUECH WOKTH WHILE? 51 


The influence of the Church is quite uplift¬ 
ing. Consider two men of about equal ability. 
One unites with the Church. He attends two 
services each Sunday, and the week-night 
prayer service. He attends a Bible class in 
the Sunday-school, and later teaches a class. 
He manifests an interest in missions, and 
studies world conditions. He also labours for 
a better home community. He reads a cer¬ 
tain amount of religious literature. He does 
this for twenty years. 

The other man avoids the Church. He 
frequents social clubs. He spends his Sun¬ 
days reading the Sunday papers, and going to 
the golf course. He may take some interest 
in politics. He associates with men who have 
no interest in the Church. The chances are 
that their morals are below par. 

Compare your two men after twenty years. 
You will be sure to find a world of difference 
between them. You will most likely find the 
former a representative citizen in some posi¬ 
tion of trust and honour. The other one’s 
life is most likely to be commonplace in at¬ 
tainments and influence. 

No one needs to stumble at the numerous 
sects. Multiplied sects are an indication of 
vitality in the Christian religion. It is far 
better to have a number of active rival sects 


52 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

than to have but one religious body, stagnant 
and corrupt. 

After you have said the worst you can 
about the Church, it still remains the whitest 
social institution on God’s footstool. 

Until an organization can be shown with 
better principles and a higher social life than 
the Church we will stand by that time-hon¬ 
oured institution, and 

“ For her our tears shall fall, 

For her our prayers ascend. 

To her our toils and cares be given 
Till toils and cares shall end.” 

The most soul satisfying social fellowship 
is found among true followers of Jesus Christ. 
Why so many men have their religion in 
their wives’ and daughters’ names is hard to 
tell. Some one wrote: 

“ In the world’s broad field of battle, 

In the bivouac of life, 

You will find the Christian soldier 
Represented by his wife.” 

The Christian religion presents a man’s job, 
and a challenge to the best that is in him. 

No occasion should ever be given to have 
it said that those outside the Church are a 
more attractive group with which to be asso- 


IS THE CHURCH WORTH WHILE? 53 


ciated than those in the Church. A certain 
distinguished lawyer was asked whether he 
would prefer to live in heaven or hell. He 
answered the question by saying, “ When I 
look at the men who claim to be going to 
heaven, and compare them with my friends 
that seem to be going the other way, I am 
forced to the conclusion that while heaven has 
doubtless the more agreeable climate, hell en¬ 
joys the better society.” However, those who 
are spiritually minded will find the compan¬ 
ionship of those who travel the heavenward 
way to be far the more interesting and sat¬ 
isfactory. 

The question is often asked, “ Cannot a per¬ 
son be a good Christian outside the Church ? ” 
The answer is: “ Can a person be a good loyal 
soldier of his country’s army when he is not 
enlisted ? ” 

It can be noticed that the critics of the 
Church cling to lands that have churches and 
Bible schools. If it is better not to have 
churches, why do they not go to lands where 
they do not exist? It is cowardly to enjoy 
the blessings of a great Christian civilization 
and not support this mighty cause, heart and 
soul, from within the Church. 

The Church with all her faults is the most 
worth-while institution on the face of the 


54 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


earth. Mr. Babson, the great expert in 
finance, tells us that nothing will as surely 
guarantee business prosperity as the Church 
of Jesus Christ in earnest action. 

In the dark days of the Civil War Abraham 
Lincoln said: “ Thank God Who giveth us 
the churches.” He found the best support in 
keeping up the morale of the armies, in nurs¬ 
ing the sick, and comforting the dying, to 
come from that source. The churches, includ¬ 
ing the Young Men’s Christian Association, 
the Red Cross, and kindred organizations, did 
this same work on a much larger scale during 
the recent war. 

There is no substitute for the Church. 
Many fraternal organizations are possessed 
of worthy motives, but cannot take the place 
of that institution which expounds the Scrip¬ 
tures, upholds Christ as a Saviour, sends mis¬ 
sionaries to heathen lands, and furnishes most 
of the money for charity. If true to its mis¬ 
sion it will lay hold of the morally impotent, 
such as are rejected by other fraternities, and 
build them up into true manhood. 


VII 


DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF 
WE PRAY? 

B Y prayer we mean the act of speaking 
to God. It usually consists of adora¬ 
tion, confession, petition, dedication, 
and thanksgiving. It has been defined as the 
psychological act by means of which the soul 
seeks and finds conscious contact with God. 

Is prayer possible? Since God is a person, 
and of infinite intelligence, and everywhere 
present, there is every reason why we who 
are created in His image should be able to 
communicate with Him. The advice of Ten¬ 
nyson is: 

“ Speak to Him thou, for He hears thee. 

For spirit with Spirit can meet ; 

Closer is He than breathing, 

And nearer than hands or feet.” 

We have the praying instinct. Man has 
been called a praying animal. If he knows not 
the true God, he will worship some mythologic 
being, or fetish. No race, or tribe has ever 
55 


56 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

been found that did not in some way exercise 
the habit of prayer. There certainly is great 
naturalness in prayer. 

“ Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire 
Uttered or unexpressed; 

The motion of a hidden fire 
That trembles in the breast. 

Prayer is the simplest form of speech 
That infants’ lips can try; 

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach 
His Majesty on high.” 

Just as natural as it is for a son to speak to 
his father, is it natural for a child of God to 
commune with his heavenly Father. It has 
been observed that men who apparently are 
without a religious frame of mind, will pray 
earnestly when in great distress. When ex¬ 
posed to danger in the recent war, many 
prayed who before led prayerless lives. 

Does it make any difference if men pray? 
Some praying does not make any difference. 
The Psalmist says: “ If I regard iniquity in 
my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” In 
order to pray prevailingly, one must be in 
moral sympathy with God. James says: “ The 
effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man 
availeth much.” 

If we ask for something that is not for our 


OUGHT WE TO PRAY? 


57 


good, it must of necessity be denied. If a 
child should beg to play with the pretty green 
powder, its mother would promptly lock up 
the Paris Green, where it could not possibly 
get it. Shakespeare, in Antony and Cleo¬ 
patra, says: “ We often beg that which is for 
our harm, and which the wise powers deny 
us for good, and so we find profit in the los¬ 
ing of our prayers.” There are many who 
later felt grateful that some of their earnest 
petitions were not granted. When the writer 
was still a youth a maiden lady came to him 
and told him that she had prayed that he 
might become her husband. He has always 
since felt exceedingly glad that the Lord cen¬ 
sors all prayers before passing them. Some 
one has imagined that the Almighty must 
maintain a dead prayer office to which those 
prayers are consigned that are not properly 
addressed. 

It would be impossible for God to answer 
all prayers. Two equally sincere persons might 
be praying for opposing things. Many of the 
Germans prayed that their side might win the 
war. Among the Allies prayers arose, equally 
fervent, that their cause might prevail. It 
was impossible for God to give both sides the 
victory. 

Prayers that are void of moral earnestness 


58 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

are a waste of time and breath. According to 
the Scriptures they must be characterized by 
fervency and importunity to be effectual. In 
India they have prayer wheels so as to enable 
them to pray by machinery. A visitor to that 
country declared that he saw one of those 
wheels propelled by water-power. Thus the 
owner could pray without ceasing, while at¬ 
tending to other business. The boy who wrote 
his prayers on paper, and pinned it over his 
bed, and said on retiring, “ Lord, those are my 
sentiments,” also prayed mechanically. Much 
so-called praying falls into this class, and re¬ 
ceives no consideration in heaven. The truth 
is that many who offer heartless prayers 
would be greatly surprised if their petitions 
were answered. 

The question has been asked, Since God 
knows what is best for us, and is the Supreme 
Ruler, is it necessary for us to pray ? Can our 
prayers cause God to do certain things that He 
otherwise would not do? There are many 
things He does for us regardless of our ask¬ 
ing, but there are other things that He will 
not, and cannot do unless we ask Him. 

Some hold that the value of prayer lies not 
in the fact that we get any requests granted. 
It lies rather in the fact that it is a pious ex¬ 
ercise to pray and produces a reflexive good. 


OUGHT WE TO PE AY? 


59 


Our minds are filled with ennobling thoughts 
and aspirations, and thus we are improved 
through prayer. However, not many would 
pray if they thought that they would merely 
get exercise out of praying. Two boys went 
out one day digging for a treasure they sup¬ 
posed was hidden in a field. In the evening 
they returned without the treasure. Their fa¬ 
ther consoled them with the thought that the 
day was not utterly lost because they got 
plenty of wholesome exercise. They, how¬ 
ever, did not continue their digging, merely 
for the sake of the exercise. When we ear¬ 
nestly pray, we are after treasure, and not 
exercise. 

A part of prayer is communing. Even 
when we do not get our petitions granted, we 
at least are in infinitely good company while 
speaking to God. St. Francis of Assisi, who 
spent many hours in prayer, sometimes would 
only in a heartfelt way, with intervening 
pauses say, “ God. God. God.” That, too, 
was real praying. 

In acknowledging the blessings bestowed 
upon us we thank Him; and we always feel 
better after having thanked our benefactors. 

There is one petition that is always granted 
if sincerely offered. When in penitence a 
sinner asks to be forgiven, amidst the jubila- 


60 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


tions of heaven that petition is granted. The 
publican who prayed “ God be merciful to me, 
a sinner,” went down from the temple justi¬ 
fied. 

There are certain Scriptural conditions that 
must be fulfilled in order to make prayer ef¬ 
fective. Jesus said, “ If ye abide in me, and 
my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye 
will, and it shall be done unto you.” That 
means that we must be in true soul sympathy 
with Him. The transmitting instrument must 
be attuned to the receiving instrument before 
the wireless message can come through. 

A further condition that Jesus mentioned 
is praying in His name. He said: “If ye 
shall ask anything in my name I will do it.” 
This means more than closing your prayer by 
saying, “ And this I ask in Jesus’ name.” No 
improper prayer could be made in His name. 
His name stands for that which is good and 
unselfish. Our prayers must harmonize with 
that for which His name stands, in order to 
be effectual. Faith, or belief that God will, 
and does answer, is also one of the Biblical 
conditions. 

Can it be scientifically proven that prayers 
are answered? No, the unbeliever could al¬ 
ways say that it was a coincidence. A certain 
skeptic proposed putting this matter to a test. 


OUGHT WE TO PRAY? 


61 


He suggested that two hospitals should be 
chosen with an equal number of patients. 
Those in one hospital should be prayed for, 
while those in the other are ignored, and then 
the outcome should be noted. The Christian 
people, thus challenged, did not respond. In 
the first place, it was making trial of God. 
Jesus said, “ It is written, Thou shalt not 
tempt the Lord thy God.” Again, who could 
tell but in one or the other of those hospitals 
there were those whom the Lord purposed to 
call out of this world without granting them 
recovery? Such an experiment, whatever the 
result, would prove nothing. 

Each one can, however, become fully as¬ 
sured that God answers prayer. If you desire 
forgiveness, and a better life, ask God and He 
will hear, and answer. Do you desire comfort 
in distress? Ask and you shall receive. Do 
you desire the salvation of others? Pray for 
them. “ The effectual fervent prayer of the 
righteous man availeth much.” Charles H. 
Spurgeon was visited one day by a woman 
who had an unconverted husband. She 
wished to know how he might be won to the 
faith. Mr. Spurgeon suggested that they pray 
for him, which they forthwith did. The 
woman returned home, and when she entered 
her house, she found her husband in prayer. 


62 TWELVE LIVE WIKE QUESTIONS 

Numerous instances of this kind could be men¬ 
tioned. The China Inland Mission folks 
found their missionary force inadequate one 
year. They needed about one hundred re¬ 
cruits. They prayed the Lord of the harvest 
for additional reapers. The following year 
one hundred came, and before the year was up 
there were more than a hundred that volun¬ 
teered. This is all the more marvellous be¬ 
cause no salaries are guaranteed those who go. 
They are given such amounts are are specific¬ 
ally contributed for that work, and those 
amounts are given in answer to prayer. With 
them their going is always a venture of faith 
in God. 

We may readily believe that many have had 
their health restored through prayer, since the 
days that Jesus wrought His miracles of heal¬ 
ing. There is no reason why a believer should 
not ask to be directed of God in his business 
pursuits. No one that was ever signally use¬ 
ful in the work of God's Kingdom led a 
prayerless life. They were all persons who 
were mighty in prayer. Jesus taught men how 
to pray, and set an example by His habit of 
prayer for people of all times. 

It makes a big difference if you pray. You 
can have more righteousness, better health, 
larger peace of mind, better business prosper- 


OUGHT WE TO PRAY? 


63 


ity, more happiness and contentment, larger 
usefulness, and a better eternity if you pray. 
Tennyson said: 

“ More things are wrought by prayer than this 
world dreams of.” 

“ For so the whole round earth is every way 

Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.” 

Persons who pray well are more likely to 
be active in religious work. Such persons are 
quite likely to offer themselves as the agent in 
answering their prayers. They will say as did 
Isaiah, “ Here am I, send me.” Fred Douglas 
said that he prayed for a long time that he 
might be freed from slavery. But he never 
got his liberty until he ran away. He said 
that when he got his prayers into his heels 
they soon found an answer. 

A certain group from a country church met 
one evening at the home of a poor family to 
pray for them. While the prayer meeting was 
under way, a knock was heard at the door. 
When they opened it, the son of a farmer 
stood there, and said: “ Pop could not come 
to the prayer meeting to-night, so he sent his 
prayers. They are out in the sleigh, and if 
some of the folks will please help me, I will 
unload them.” So they unloaded a lot of po- 


64 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


tatoes, ham and other provisions. It broke up 
the prayer meeting. Earnest praying is likely 
to get into our hands, feet, tongue and heart. 

The best kind of religious activity is, “ To 
pray as if everything depended upon God, and 
then work as if everything depended upon 
you.” 

The prayerless man keeps God out of his 
life. Prayer opens the door and bids him 
enter. To be truly happy the soul needs God 
as much as an infant its mother. One time 
when Jesus prayed He was transfigured. 
More or less of this happens to all who pray 
sincerely. 

Prayer enables us to move the hand that 
moves the world. Just what its philosophy is 
should not concern us as much as the fact 
thereof. One needs not to know all the se¬ 
crets of electricity to use it for expelling dark¬ 
ness from his house. All he needs to know is 
how to press a button, and his house is flooded 
with light. We need not know everything 
about the philosophy of praying to reap the 
full benefits of a life of prayer. All we need 
to do is to pray, and get the results. It is 
the most important business of life to pray. 


VIII 


SHOULD CHRISTIAN FOLKS INTER¬ 
FERE WITH NON-CHRISTIAN LANDS 
THROUGH MISSIONARY 
PROPAGANDA? 

T HE biggest business in the world is 
the missionary work carried on by 
the churches of the United States. 
These employ about ten thousand missionaries, 
and fifty thousand native helpers, at an annual 
expense of about twenty-five million dollars. 
The next largest business in the world is that 
of the Standard Oil Company. Is Christian¬ 
ity justified in making such efforts to change 
the religious faith of those nations that are 
not now Christian? 

Is there not a tendency among the various 
races to develop along their own lines the re¬ 
ligion best suited to their own peculiar mental 
and heart traits? If Christianity suits us best, 
then why not enjoy it, and leave those of other 
lands and other faiths unmolested? Their 
religion evidently suits them best. Is there 
not good in all religions ? Then why not per¬ 
mit people to live up to the best there is in 
their religious faith, and develop along lines 

65 


66 TWELVE LIVE-WIKE QUESTIONS 


that are most natural to them ? Is it not med¬ 
dlesome to interfere with these heart matters 
of remote peoples? Should we not live our 
religion in the best possible way, and if any 
other people should recognize its merits, let 
them come and get it; but let us not go and 
urge it upon them. 

In replying to these questions, it must be 
admitted that Christian people should not 
compel other people to embrace Christianity. 
It never should be forced on people in legal 
and military ways. All people should enjoy 
religious freedom. That religious enthusiast 
of the middle ages certainly overstepped the 
bounds of propriety when, in central Europe, 
he drove the natives up to the baptismal font 
at the point of the bayonet. The Moslem re¬ 
ligion has followed that missionary method 
very largely, and could never have made the 
progress it did without it. “ The Koran, or 
the sword/’ has for ages been the choice given 
those who have fallen under the military con¬ 
trol of Islam. Christianity cannot be true to 
its genius, and seek to propagate itself by such 
methods. 

Christianity is a missionary religion. Jesus 
was a rabbi or teacher. He followed the best 
teaching methods ever employed. He had dis¬ 
ciples or learners about Him. These were in- 


IS MISSIONARY EFFORT JUSTIFIABLE ? 67 

vited, not compelled, to hold this relationship 
to Him. Jesus presented certain truths which 
must make their own appeal. If they fail to 
interest any one, he is always at liberty to 
ignore them. 

After training these disciples, Jesus com¬ 
manded them to go and make disciples of all 
nations. He thus took the whole world into 
His plan. 

Those who have attempted to spread 
Christianity have discovered that the teach¬ 
ings of Christ furnish most unique ma¬ 
terial for didactic purposes. Almost in¬ 
variably, those who obtain a true ac¬ 
quaintanceship with Christ and His teach¬ 
ings, become very enthusiastic propagan¬ 
dists. Finding it so satisfactory in their own 
life, they recommend it to others, and urge it 
upon them. After this fashion it has spread 
itself throughout the world. It was the inten¬ 
tion of its founder that it should thus propa¬ 
gate itself. Christianity has always asserted 
itself strongly in its pedagogical and educa¬ 
tional phases. It makes its appeal to the intel¬ 
lect. There is something thought-producing 
about it. It has inspired what must readily be 
conceded the world’s best culture. 

To those who are loyal followers of Christ, 
His command has been a sufficient reason for 


68 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

missionary effort. His command, “ Go ye into 
all the world and preach the gospel to every 
creature/' is regarded as one that is of binding 
significance to His Church. Recognizing His 
authority, the Church obeys His command. 
An English clergyman asked the Duke of Wel¬ 
lington if he thought it was worth while to 
carry on mission work in India. The Duke 
replied, “ What are your marching orders?" 
To this soldier it was not the business of an 
underling to question a command. It is his 
business to obey it. The marching orders of 
its founder are, to go into all the world, and 
preach Christianity. Removing the mission 
feature from Christianity, you subtract that 
which is vital to its existence. Some one has 
truthfully said that missions are the life blood, 
the lung breath, and heart beats of Christianity. 

The life of the cause depends upon it. With¬ 
out its missionary enthusiasm, Christianity 
would deteriorate and vanish. Christians be¬ 
lieve that they have a good thing in their re¬ 
ligion, and they are taught to impart good to 
others. There is no such thing as a selfish 
Christianity. The strange thing about it is, 
the more you give it away, the more you have 
of it yourself. 

If the history of missions should be written 
completely, you would have a record of the 


IS MISSIONARY EFFORT JUSTIFIABLE? 69 


world’s most heroic deeds. Missionaries have 
subjected themselves to the most severe dan¬ 
gers, and suffered some of the most intense 
hardships, in discharging their divine commis¬ 
sion. Many despised lucrative positions at 
home that they might go and preach Christ, 
even if nothing but chains and death should 
await them. However, the blood of such 
martyrs has always served as the seed of the 
Church. 

For Christianity to carry out its world pro¬ 
gram it should not be merely a world religion, 
but the world religion. It is not only intended 
for those of Western lands, where it made its 
first great conquests. It is really an oriental 
religion in its origin, and is, no doubt to this 
day, more readily understood by orientals than 
by those of the Occident. For some reason it 
went with the course of empire, westward. It 
is only in more recent years that renewed ef¬ 
forts have been made to reintroduce it to the 
Orient, as well as to Africa, and the islands of 
the sea. 

Through missionary activity, it has been dis¬ 
covered that it makes its appeal to all classes 
everywhere in a similar way, and produces a 
like effect. Its teaching of God, morality, so¬ 
cial relationship, and immortality, is unmatched 
in any of the ethnic religions. Wherever it 


70 TWELVE LIVE-WIEE QUESTIONS 

goes it brings light, and joy, a new life, and a 
new hope. It has clearly demonstrated that it, 
and it alone, has the capacity of serving as the 
world religion. 

Christianity is responsible for many valuable 
by-products. Through its missions, civilization 
is spread, markets are opened, and trade is in¬ 
creased. Some one said that for every dollar 
England has invested in missions it gets ten 
dollars back in trade. And the countries that 
are Christianized become greatly enriched. 

The leading motive should, however, not be 
a mercenary one on the part of those who do 
the evangelizing. The great question should 
ever be, “ Does it benefit the lands to which 
it is brought?” It has benefited Western 
lands. It has made them strong, so that now 
they control nearly the entire world. United 
Christendom easily commands the entire world. 
It has awakened a new life in Japan, and Japan 
has accepted largely our Western culture, even 
more than it did the Christian religion that has 
produced the culture. It was only after that 
country came into touch with Christianity that 
it was thus affected. It is now one of the great 
world powers. 

China, realizing what has come to Japan, is 
open to-day to Western culture as never before. 
It is very important that a country like that 


IS MISSION ARE EFFORT JUSTIFIABLE f 71 


should have upon it the restraint of Christian 
ideals. If it should receive the power due to 
Western culture, without having its heart re¬ 
generated by Christianity, it would become the 
world’s greatest menace. The Chinese are a 
stalwart race. They have a power of endur¬ 
ance, unrivalled. If they should obtain the 
power incident to a more enlightened civiliza¬ 
tion, and be governed by selfish motives, it 
would be easy for some Kaiser to arise among 
them, and inspire them with an ambition for 
world conquest. With the modern ease of 
communication by wire, paper, book, and 
travel, they will get our learning. But that 
learning will not be safe with them without our 
Western religion. 

It must be quite evident to the people of all 
nations that the United States has the wealth, 
resources, ingenuity, and man power to engage 
in a conquest such as would have overjoyed a 
Napoleon, or Alexander. But the United 
States has given Cuba her freedom, demanded 
no indemnity from Spain, paid for the Philip¬ 
pines, returned the indemnity to China, and de¬ 
manded no indemnity as a result of the World 
War. Would any other land than one under 
the control of Christian ideals have acted thus ? 
If the Moslems had the military advantage of 
the great Christian powers of the world to-day. 


72 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


what could we expect ? The entire world will 
be a safer place in which to live if the teachings 
of Him will be observed who said, “ As ye 
would that men would do to you, do ye even 
so unto them, ,, and who taught us to love our 
enemies, and do good to those who hate us, 
and pray for those who despitefully use us 
and persecute us. 

It is quite imperative that Christianity should 
control, with its beneficent influence, all lands 
of the earth. Where Christian influence has 
not come, the world has made no progress; 
there the people are living much as they did in 
the days of Abraham. Where the religion of 
Christ has gone, better sanitation, better edu¬ 
cation, better social conditions, better farming, 
better housing, and a better life have followed. 

Christian people owe it to themselves, and to 
the world at large, to bring the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ unto all men. Dr. Van Dyke said that 
some people desire to know how the heathen 
can be saved without the Gospel. But he de¬ 
clared the greater question to be, “ How can we 
who claim to have the Gospel be saved, if we 
deny it to the heathen world ? ” 


IX 


.WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF 
CHRISTIAN EFFORT? 


T HE student of history and science has 
great reason to conclude that nature 
is teleological. He can detect a pur¬ 
pose in it, as Tennyson did, who said, “Yet I 
hold through all the ages one increasing pur¬ 
pose runs.” Believing that God has created 
our universe, and is immanent in it, energiz¬ 
ing and controlling it, we can readily con¬ 
clude that He has an ultimate objective. We 
can, with the poet, believe that there is 

“ Some far-off divine event, 

Toward which the whole creation moves.” 

The human soul is undoubtedly God’s cre¬ 
ative masterpiece. It is clearly His desire that 
perfection of being should be the individual 
goal. This is the Christian’s moral objective. 
Jesus said, “ Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” 
Christian perfection is not merely a negative 
goodness; it is far more a positive one. The 
exemplary Christian is good for something. 
He is assertive, and progressive in his good¬ 
ness. 


73 


74 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

Christianity is a social religion. The Chris¬ 
tian must relate himself properly to his fellow- 
men. He cannot obtain his own salvation, un¬ 
less he assumes a Christian attitude toward his 
neighbour, as well as toward his God. 

Christianity is therefore indeed a kingdom. 
It is a social institution. It has a world pro¬ 
gram. The ultimate goal of Christianity is es¬ 
sentially the same as that of the individual. It 
is the redemption of human society. This im¬ 
plies the perfection of all individuals, and ob¬ 
taining for them a proper social relationship. 
The work of Christianity is never completed 
until this objective is reached. 

The complete establishment of God’s King¬ 
dom is the ultimate Christian objective. The 
Hebrew ideal for this world was that a Mes¬ 
siah should appear, who would subject the 
world to His own sway, and rule all lands 
through chosen representatives of His elect 
people, Israel. The disciples had this concep¬ 
tion. They repeatedly questioned Him about 
it. He said certain things about His Kingdom 
which was difficult for them to grasp. He 
said that His Kingdom does not come by ob¬ 
servation, and that the Kingdom of Heaven is 
within you, and that His Kingdom is not of 
this world. 

Because He did not assume the position of a 


WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN GOAL? 75 


Napoleon, and proceed to conquer the world, 
and establish His Kingdom, those of His own 
race were disappointed in Him. By His con¬ 
stant emphasis of positive goodness, and His 
criticism of empty ceremonialism and hypoc¬ 
risy, He was rejected and finally crucified. 

The early disciples, hearing Him speak about 
His coming again, believed that He would soon 
reappear, and then proceed to subjugate the 
world unto Himself. Thus a Christian Messi¬ 
anic hope was created akin to that of ancient 
Israel. 

There are those who interpret the Scriptures 
as teaching that this world must become in¬ 
creasingly corrupt, until its iniquity is so great 
that He will finally reappear and gather His 
ancient people of Israel to their country once 
more. They will then readily be converted, 
and recognize His Messiahship. He will en¬ 
throne Himself at Jerusalem, and rule the 
world from that centre for a thousand years. 
After that He will withdraw to the skies with 
all those who have recognized His Messiahship. 
Then there will be a period of great tribulation. 
After that Satan will be bound, and cast into 
the lake of fire. Then the unrighteous dead 
will be resurrected, and all the unrighteous will 
be judged, and condemned to share the fate of 
Satan. 


76 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


Others have understood Christ to teach that 
His Kingdom was begun when He was here on 
this earth, by His teaching and redemptive 
power; that His influence is as a leaven which 
will leaven the whole lump; and that it is as a 
mustard seed that will gradually grow into a 
great tree. Those who have taken this view 
believe that it is the duty of all to labour for 
the elevation of human society, and to enthrone 
Christ in the hearts of all men. This is to be 
done through missionary activity and social 
service. When these pray, “ Thy kingdom 
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in 
heaven,” they have a vision of a redeemed hu¬ 
man society. These are active in moral and 
social reforms, believing, as they are effected, 
they mark the progress of the coming King¬ 
dom. 

Those who hold that the human race is 
largely a failure, and that only a select remnant 
can be saved, manifest very little interest in 
various social problems. 

Many have come to believe that Christianity 
is far more than a spiritual salvation for the in¬ 
dividual. They hold that if Christ’s Kingdom 
is to come to this world it will need a thorough 
cleansing. They believe that a living wage 
should come to all worthy toilers; that they 
should live in sanitary houses; that they should 


WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN GOAL? 77 


be provided with wholesome amusements; that 
it is important that children should have proper 
play facilities; that they should not be handi¬ 
capped with the burden of labour at an early 
age; that proper educational facilities should be 
provided for all; that thorough sanitation 
should be introduced; and that all social and 
economic relationships should be adjusted in 
accordance with the teaching of the golden 
rule. They believe that these matters should 
be emphasized and realized, without in the 
least way minimizing Jesus’ teaching concern¬ 
ing a spiritual regeneration. Thus their great 
Christian ideal is to create such conditions as 
will be most conducive to the building of true 
manhood. 

The first great need of men is a spiritual re¬ 
generation ; without this, selfishness is bound to 
prevail. It has repeatedly been observed that 
men have emphasized social justice as long as 
that meant more on their pile. But when they 
once arrived at such a state of material pros¬ 
perity that it really meant subtracting from that 
pile, they suddenly changed their method of 
agitation. Those who believe that the ills of 
this world can be cured without the heart of 
humanity being healed are labouring under a 
great delusion. 

The ideal for this earth is heaven. Jesus 


78 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


prayed, “ Thy will be done on earth as it is 
done in heaven.” His will is perfectly done 
there. However, this earth does not remind 
you very much of heaven; it often reminds you 
much more of an inferno. He who labours 
for the uplift of humanity meets with many 
discouragements. In the curing of human ills 
there often occur very discouraging relapses. 
But we can notice that progress is being made. 
It would be a gloomy outlook for our planet if 
this were not so. Christianity has its golden 
age in the future, and this keeps those who 
labour in its behalf in good cheer. 

Can we hope for complete success? John 
Fisk said, “ The perfecting of humanity is to 
be the glorious consummation of nature’s long 
and tedious work.” If all men, at any given 
time should be thus perfected, could that per¬ 
fection be maintained? In the case of every 
succeeding generation, the same culture would 
have to be given. 

With no essential change in human nature, 
we can see no ground for believing that the 
entire race at any time could attain to Christian 
perfection; or if it did attain thereto, that it 
could thus perpetuate itself. But it is never¬ 
theless our business to aspire to this end. We 
are taught to pray for this happy consumma¬ 
tion. Our effort should be to establish the 
Kingdom of Heaven on earth. 


WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN GOAL? 79 


The ultimate goal of Christian striving is not 
merely to make this earth a heavenly place. 
However perfect and agreeable human society 
may become upon this earth, it is not a place 
in which we can, or would, live alway. At the 
longest, our stay on this planet is but brief. 
We cannot hope, except by an extraordinary 
cataclysm, to see this world perfected. Our 
criminal and divorce courts are kept too busy, 
and there is too much work for our police 
forces to do. Too many asylums are required. 
There are too many red lights and red flags in 
evidence. There is too much greed, and too 
much bloodshed. If this is all of life, to live 
for a while in such a world, and then cease to 
be, life is a mockery, and is not worth the 
struggle. 

To enter heaven, like which this earth should 
be, but may never thus become, is the ultimate 
goal of our existence. It is there that the soul 
will obtain the supreme prize. 

If you can say to the martyr for a righteous 
cause that there is a heaven of righteousness 
and joy beyond, it will be a great comfort to 
him. If those who go into battle in the inter¬ 
est of high ideals can be told that if they fall in 
the discharge of their duty, that there is a 
heaven of peace to receive them, they feel all 
the more compensated for their sacrifice. It is 
a real comfort to all the weary toilers of this 


80 TWELVE LIVE-WIEE QUESTIONS 


life to know that if they qualify for it, there 
is a place where the lash of the taskmaster 
cannot reach them, and where the weary 
struggle for an existence is over, and the time 
of rest and plenty is at hand. To know that 
earth’s tribulations will work out for us an 
eternal weight of glory will make them seem 
more light. 

Heaven is the place of perfected human so¬ 
ciety. To all those who strive for this high 
ideal of heaven in the God-appointed way, it 
will finally appear. In this sense the ultimate 
goal can be reached. 

A certain man, while ill, had a peculiar 
vision. He dreamed that a beneficent influence 
and power came, and took him out of his sick 
chamber, and by a spiral course, took him up¬ 
ward, and onward, past stars on every hand. 
Finally they arrived on the Milky Way, that 
great thoroughfare of the universe. On that 
they travelled until they got to the end, and 
then there was a great abyss beyond. Sud¬ 
denly the constellations assumed the forms that 
they represented in astronomy, and took on the 
appearance of fierce anger, and began, as mon¬ 
sters, to pursue him. He was filled with fear, 
as he could not go any farther, while the benefi¬ 
cent power went on, leaving him alone. Sud¬ 
denly this power called to him to leap into the 


WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN GOAL? 81 


abyss. There being no other choice, he leaped; 
and, lo! to his surprise, instead of falling, and 
never being able to land, he found himself 
standing upon the adamant, surrounded by this 
glorious beneficent power. All the monsters 
that were pursuing him rushed to the end of 
the Milky Way, and plunged into the abyss, and 
disappeared. All of a sudden the constellations 
reappeared, and the stars were all twinkling in 
a friendly way. The vision seemed so real to 
him that he never forgot it. What a comfort 
it is to know that there is a city of refuge be¬ 
yond, where the threatening and fierce mon¬ 
sters that pursued us in this life cannot reach 
us, and where we will be safe in the care of a 
loving and beneficent Power. 

We should not become so absorbed in the 
contemplation of future glory as to lose interest 
in the life that now is. We should help this 
world forward to its God-appointed goal while 
we live in it, and so make our contribution to¬ 
ward the sum total of human welfare. We 
shall have an eternity in which to investigate 
and enjoy heaven. Yet this need not keep us 
from rejoicing that the Christian career, and 
the accomplishments of the Kingdom of God, 
will terminate in the effulgence of heavenly 
glory. That New York State physician had 
a remarkable vision, when recently stunned in 


82 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


an automobile accident, in which his wife was 
killed. He said that it seemed to him as if 
they got out of their automobile in the usual 
way and arrived at a very peaceful place. A 
white-haired man with a flowing beard met 
them, and told them that this is heaven. He 
also told them that they are much concerned in 
heaven about the great amount of wickedness 
in this world. He said that there should be a 
larger number of persons in the world inter¬ 
ested in its improvement. The physician de¬ 
clared that the city he beheld was beautiful be¬ 
yond description. There was an unusually 
bright light in the centre of it, and when he 
asked what that was, he was told that it was 
where the throne of God is located. Suddenly 
it became foggy about him, and his wife was 
parted from him, going in the direction of the 
light, and he found himself becoming con¬ 
scious on a hospital bed. We need have no 
doubt about the reality of heaven. Tennyson 
believed this when he said in that well-known 
song of Christian triumph at the close of a 
long, and well-spent life: 

“And though from out our bourne of time 
and place 

The tide may bear me far, 

I hope to see my Pilot face to face, 

When I have crossed the bar.” 


WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN GOAL? 83 


Paul represented a high type of Christian 
attainment, but acknowledged that he had not 
yet reached perfection. But he followed after 
it, and forgetful of bygone things, he reached 
out after the things before him, and pressed 
toward the mark for the prize of the high 
calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul was not 
pursuing treasure at the base of an elusive 
rainbow. Nothing is impossible in character 
attainment to him who is actuated by a high, 
and holy ambition, and who follows the di¬ 
vine direction. 

While a full and final salvation from sin is 
obtained on entering heaven, it is possible that 
the process of character attainment may be an 
eternal one. In that tropic land of the soul 
where all good things grow luxuriantly, is 
there any reason why the soul should not en¬ 
joy a further growth, and development, ever¬ 
more being changed from glory unto glory, 
approximating the high ideal of the abso¬ 
lutely perfect Being? Let that be.as it may, 
believers can most assuredly comfort them¬ 
selves with the Apostle John by saying, “ Be¬ 
loved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth 
not yet appear what we shall be; but we know 
that when he shall appear we shall be like 
him; for we shall see him as he is.” 


X 


IS THE PRESENT CROP OF HUMANS AN 
IMPROVEMENT OVER THOSE OF 
PREVIOUS TIMES? 

I F the Biblical account of creation is to be 
historically understood, we must believe 
that Adam and Eve were perfect when 
created, and all our human defects are due to 
the fall of the race. Even then we can con¬ 
clude that after the fall the drift of the race 
was upward, rather than downward. 

The evolutionary view is that man is pro¬ 
gressively outliving his brute tendencies, and is 
becoming more humane. The evolutionary 
origin of man is, however, merely a theory, 
and not a demonstrated, scientific fact. Skele¬ 
tons of ancient human remains have disclosed 
no marked difference, in comparison with those 
of our day. 

Human nature is essentially the same now as 
it was in the beginning. Cain became jealous 
of his brother, and slew him, just as many a 
present-day Cain has done. 

It is a well-established fact that culture will 
84 


IS MANKIND GROWING BETTER f 85 

do much for man. The fruit grower can pro¬ 
duce wonders through his scientific methods of 
pruning, grafting, cross-breeding, spraying, 
fertilizing, and cultivating. Astonishing re¬ 
sults can thus be achieved, in the way of pro¬ 
ducing fine specimens. The seed, however, re¬ 
mains wild. If he will plant the seed of a fine 
specimen of fruit it will grow into a wild tree. 
Each tree requires its own culture to keep it 
from growing wild. A cultivated field, or 
farm, if neglected for ten years, will look like 
a wilderness. 

This is true of the human species. Each in¬ 
dividual needs separate culture to improve him. 
If not given proper care he will grow up in a 
wild way. If the institutions that produced 
our civilization should be destroyed, and our 
race neglected, it would retrograde to primitive 
conditions in a brief period. 

Culture has done much for the race. Our 
ancestors were savages. By studying condi¬ 
tions among the unenlightened races of our 
day we can realize the racial progress that has 
been made, and what we would be were it not 
for the culture that has made us different. 

Since we are considering the influence of 
Christianity in this series of studies, let us take 
a glance at world conditions as they were be¬ 
fore Christianity was introduced, and compare 


86 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


them with the world of to-day. We can only 
mention, in a passing way, that our education 
is superior in this age to what it was in ancient 
times. In ancient times only a privileged few 
could obtain an advanced education. They had 
a goodly number of sages and literary lights. 
No doubt, a group of young folks in the Au¬ 
gustan age could have made the same average 
college grades as the young people of this day, 
could they have had the advantages of the pres¬ 
ent time. 

Sanitation and medical science have made 
great advancements, and we have the benefit 
thereof. We are enjoying great conveniences 
that the ancients did not enjoy. The Apostle 
Paul never heard of a railroad train, a tele¬ 
graph, telephone, printing press, photograph 
camera, automobile, phonograph, aeroplane, 
steamship, trolley car, modern grist mill, hot 
water heating plant, electric light, suspension 
bridge, grain binder, daily paper, cotton mill, 
department store, wireless messages, a watch, 
and countless other conveniences that we enjoy. 
We would not trade our day for his, in so far 
as the comforts of life are concerned. 

Let us see if we would prefer the form of 
government under which Paul lived? It was 
in the age in which the Roman Empire flour¬ 
ished. Her emperors would send invading 


IS MANKIND GROWING BETTER ? 87 

armies into lands, and subjugate them, and 
make them “ pay tribute unto Caesar.” They 
would take many into captivity, and distribute 
and sell them as slaves. A slave would have 
very few civil rights. He was almost abso¬ 
lutely at the mercy of his owner, who could 
torture, or kill him, if he wished. If a man 
was murdered, all his able-bodied slaves were 
killed for not having protected him. 

In matters of worship, would we prefer to 
reverence some emperor, and rebuild the tem¬ 
ples of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn, or some 
other gods, giving expression to our religious 
emotions by worshipping at such shrines ? The 
worship of most primitive people was grossly 
sensual. Professor Phelps of Yale said that if 
the old-time Greek and Roman gods attempted 
to carry on in our day as in those olden times, 
we would have them all in jail for gross im¬ 
morality. 

Let us see if we would exchange our foot¬ 
ball, baseball, and tennis for the sports of that 
earlier day. They engaged in some sports that 
have endured to our time, such as foot racing 
and disc throwing. Their chariot races were 
not so much different from our horse and au¬ 
tomobile racing. But the events that drew 
their largest crowds were sports in which there 
was blood shed. They had their gladiatorial 


88 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


contests in which there were thousands slain. 
They were entertained by watching wild beasts 
fighting with each other, or with men. There 
are still a few lands in which they have bull 
fights, but that is not regarded as an index to 
their advanced civilization. 

Let us take a look at their methods of pun¬ 
ishment. It was believed that criminals should 
be tortured. Their prisons were, as a rule, 
miserable, dark dungeons. Every conceivable 
device for torture was employed. This was 
evidenced by the methods pursued in persecut¬ 
ing Christians. Nero had his evening’s enter¬ 
tainment by chaining Christians to posts in his 
gardens, and then covering them with pitch, 
had the fagot applied, furnishing him with hu¬ 
man torches. They were thrown to the wild 
beasts in the arena, where they were torn limb 
from limb, and devoured, as vast audiences 
looked on. They were covered with the skins 
of wild beasts, and tortured to death by fierce 
dogs. They were fastened to red-hot metallic 
chairs and roasted to death. They were soaked 
in oil, and burnt. Some were drowned; others 
crucified; others flayed, and dismembered. 
Some were wounded severely, and then had 
salt and vinegar poured over them. Some 
were tortured by being stretched on racks. 

After the Roman Empire became Christian, 


IS MANKIND GROWING BETTER? 89 


and later became corrupt, some of these meth¬ 
ods were used to persecute those who sought to 
introduce reforms; and even some of these re¬ 
formers, in turn, severely persecuted such as 
did not agree with them. 

Would we exchange our period of little cap¬ 
ital punishment, and of prison reform, and of 
religious freedom, for the former ages of in¬ 
tolerance and torturesome punishment ? There 
is in our age a growing sense of the sanctity of 
human life. 

Would our women care to return to the an¬ 
cient day? They were then not regarded as 
worth educating. They were substantially the 
slave of man. Daughters were bartered in 
marriage without considering their wishes. 
Women were regarded as man's inferior. 
Would our women care to give up their pres¬ 
ent-day women's rights and return to those sad 
days? 

Those were the days of superstition. De¬ 
mented people were regarded as bewitched. 
Hundreds of people suspected of practicing 
witchcraft were most severely tortured and 
killed. 

The marriage tie was not regarded with 
much sanctity. It is only too much so in our 
day; however, we believe that most much mar¬ 
ried folks of our time would hang their heads 


90 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


in shame if they met the couple of which St. 
Jerome writes (Lecky, Vol. 2, p. 307) stating 
that at Rome there lived a wife who married 
her twenty-third husband, and she was the 
twenty-first wife of that husband. It may be 
that some of the Russian Bolshevists are beat¬ 
ing that record in our day. If so, be it said 
for the rest of Christendom that it has ad¬ 
vanced to a higher domestic standard. 

In reforms much progress has been made. 
The tendency in government reform is to¬ 
ward democracy. Slavery has been abol¬ 
ished; freedom of worship is tolerated; in¬ 
temperance is being removed; prison reforms 
have been instituted; the opium trade is being 
suppressed; duelling has been abolished; in 
advanced countries, lotteries are condemned; 
and pugilistic contests, if brutal, are being re¬ 
strained. 

There is very little ancient literature that 
can be used by our public schools without ex¬ 
purgation. 

Christian culture has had its effect on the 
race; where this has not come primitive con¬ 
ditions still prevail. Few missionaries care to 
have their children grow up in contact with 
raw heathenism. Immorality is so prevalent, 
and all moral standards so low, that they pre¬ 
fer to keep them out of danger. They some- 


IS MANKIND GROWING BETTER? 91 

times send them home, leaving them in the 
care of relatives or friends for their educa¬ 
tion and proper discipline. 

The moral and cultural progress of the 
race has been fostered by Christian influence. 
Those who sigh for the good old days have 
a fanciful past with which to compare the 
present. Crimes of all kinds are committed 
in our time, but are not committed by true 
Christians. To the extent that Christianity in 
its purity prevails, good morals prevail. 
Proper education lessens crime, but mere edu¬ 
cation could not successfully cope with sin* 
Modern education is a product of our Chris¬ 
tian civilization, and not its cause. How 
foolish those are who attribute certain eco¬ 
nomic wrongs to Christianity, and are seek¬ 
ing its suppression as in some parts of the 
world. If there is something that claims to 
be superior to Christianity, let it prove its 
worth in some unenlightened part of the 
world. Until it can produce better results 
than the religion of Jesus in dealing with raw 
humanity, it must of necessity stand con¬ 
demned, and it should keep its unholy fyands 
of destruction from the sacred altars of the 
religion that has stood the test of ages. 

In its struggle upwards, much has been 
done in the name of Christianity that was 


92 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

most pagan, and no apology can be offered 
for it except that we cannot expect the per¬ 
fected plant until it has had sufficient time to 
mature. We overlook in children what we 
condemn in men. Much that was done in the 
name of Christianity was due to its immature 
age, so far as the human appropriation of it is 
concerned. Our claim is, that the only lever 
capable of uplifting this world to better con¬ 
ditions, is in the hands of true Christians, and 
is contained in the sacred Scriptures. 

The work is far from complete. Yet we 
can join with Tennyson in saying: 

“ Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle 
of Cathay.” 

We of America do not hesitate in saying: 
“ Better ten years of our present-day America 
than fifty years of that Europe about which 
Tennyson wrote.” Truly: 

“ We are heirs of all the ages, in the fore¬ 
most ranks of time.” 

What a sad comment on the human race it 
would be if we, who have had the benefit of 
the experience of all our ancestors, were not 
in advance of them in ways of living. 

The answer to our question is, that some 


IS MANKIND GROWING BETTER? 93 


people now living are no better than the worst 
of ancient times. The best of us are no bet¬ 
ter than the best of those living in the primi¬ 
tive days of Christianity. The possibility is 
that some of the primitive Christians have 
never been excelled in real goodness. Un¬ 
doubtedly we have a larger number of good 
people now than ever were in the world in 
any previous generation, so that the average 
conditions are better than in any former 
time. The best have large room for still 
further improvement, and the whole round 
world is in crying need of a better day that 
should come to it. The only star of hope for 
a struggling race is Christianity, with its mis¬ 
sionary motive imparted to it by the Man of 
Nazareth, who also was the Son of God. 

Wherever vital Christianity has gone in 
this world it has improved conditions. The 
hope of the world lies in it, rather than in evo¬ 
lution. Very few evidences indicating moral 
improvement through evolution can be ob¬ 
tained by observing conditions in such sec¬ 
tions of the world as have been untouched by 
Christian culture. 


XI 


WHAT IS A TWENTIETH CENTURY 
PERSON TO DO WITH A SAB¬ 
BATH DAY? 



^HE Sabbath is a day of ancient ori¬ 


gin. It has been observed by the Jews, 


Christians, Mohammedans and some 
pagan countries. It has been used as a day 
of rest, recreation, and worship. The word 
“ Sabbath ” is of Hebrew origin, and means 
“ rest.” It is said of Jehovah that He rested 
on the Sabbath day after the six days of crea¬ 
tion. The command to keep the Sabbath was 
embodied in the Mosaic decalogue. 

It has health-maintaining value. Some 
have regarded it as an arbitrary decree, and 
of no real worth whatever. They have 
looked upon it as a burden placed upon men, 
hindering them in their prosperity and en¬ 
joyment. The Sabbath has, however, served 
as a wise provision in the maintenance of 
health. To labour unceasingly from day to 
day makes life a drudgery, and causes an 
early breakdown of the body. Some one ob- 


94 


HOW OBSERVE THE SABBATH? 95 


served that we are seven-day clocks; we run 
down in six, and then need one day for wind¬ 
ing up. 

Life insurance companies are beginning to 
consider the matter of Sabbath rest. A per¬ 
son who regularly observes a Sabbath is a 
better insurance risk than one who does not. 
People who do not observe a Sabbath are 
more subject to insanity than others. 

The Sabbath has been proven to be a mat¬ 
ter of wise economy. More work can be 
done by a person in six days, if he observes a 
Sabbath, than in seven, if he does not observe 
a Sabbath. This is true of beasts as well as 
men. In the early days, when cattle and 
sheep were driven long distances to seaport 
towns, they discovered that the droves that 
rested one day in seven were the first to ar¬ 
rive. It has been noticed that work done in 
the morning is of a better quality than work 
done in the afternoon. And work done in 
the early part of the week is better than that 
done later in the week, on the part of those 
who observe the Sabbath. Accidents are 
more likely to occur in the afternoon than in 
the morning. All of this indicates man’s 
need of sufficient rest. 

\ Great Britain discovered that they were not 
able to make the progress during the war, in 


96 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


the manufacture of ammunition, by working 
every day, as they could by observing the 
Sabbath. They worked their plants as hard 
as they could every day for a while, when 
greatly in need of war material. But they 
were wearing out their men, and so they gave 
them one day of rest in seven, and found that 
they got more accomplished that way. 

Labouring people as a rule are heartily in 
favour of Sabbath observance. That the 
Sabbath is not more generally observed on the 
part of those who employ labour is because 
they are governed by a blind money greed. 
They have not discovered that they could 
have larger prosperity if they observed the 
Sabbath, being thus enabled to get better serv¬ 
ice from their employees. 

As to whether or not a Sabbath is a real 
benefit to any one, depends upon how he 
spends it. If he makes out of it a day of dis¬ 
sipation, he will come to his work the next 
morning considerably below par. To such it 
is a hindrance rather than a help. Theirs is 
indeed, invariably, a blue Monday. A ques¬ 
tion submitted to certain leading manufactur¬ 
ers was, “ How do your Sunday picnickers 
compare on Monday with those who make 
Sunday a home day, and one of religious 
worship ?” The answer, of course, was that 


HOW OBSERVE THE SABBATH? 97 


the Sabbath-keeping people report on the next 
morning in the better condition. If the Sab¬ 
bath is spent in such a way as to require an¬ 
other day, or two, to get over its effects, it 
becomes far more of a hindrance than a help. 

The chief benefit of the Sabbath is a re¬ 
ligious one. The Sabbath day has been the 
great dynamo for the generation of religion. 
It is doubtful if the great religions that have 
observed a Sabbath .could have maintained 
themselves without it. It is the day on which 
people are released from their employ, and 
have their great opportunity for worship. At 
the services they attend, they hear learned 
discourses on religion and morals. On the 
Sabbath, they have the privilege of attending 
Bible Schools, and other religious assemblies. 
Many lay aside their other literature on that 
day, and read that which will promote their 
spiritual welfare. 

Jesus said: “It is lawful to do good on 
the Sabbath day.” This is the great home 
day on which parents can become acquainted 
with their children, and with each other. It 
affords the opportunity for visiting that sick 
friend, either at his home, or the hospital. It 
brings with it the opportunity for writing that 
neglected letter to the folks at home who 
never let a day go by without praying for 


98 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 

your welfare. It is the day for finding out 
how that neighbour in distress is faring, and 
what you can do for him. 

Many do not use their Sabbath for soul 
building. They find it their opportunity for 
doing that which is harmful. In large cities, 
it often happens that there is more crime, dis- 
orderliness, vice, and debauchery committed 
between Saturday and Monday than at any 
other time. 

It is highly essential that the day should be 
guarded. The laws that are enacted in the 
interest of the sanctity of the Sabbath are not 
blue laws; they are white laws, 
v Our prosperity and our civilization depend 
upon our religious institutions, and our re¬ 
ligious institutions depend upon the Sabbath 
for their perpetuation and development. 
Anything that tends to undermine the morals 
of our people is our country's worst enemy. 

Only such industries as of necessity must 
be kept going on the Sabbath should be al¬ 
lowed to operate on that day. Those who 
would make out of the Sabbath a holiday, in¬ 
stead of a holy day, are not our good citizens. 
Why are there those who strenuously oppose 
Sunday baseball and motion pictures? Be¬ 
cause those who would attract the boy from 
the street into a religious school, where the 


HOW OBSERVE THE SABBATH 1 99 


effort is made to build him up into true man¬ 
hood, find it almost impossible to do so where 
a baseball game is played near by at the same 
hour. If the motion picture place is open on 
the Sabbath, it becomes a strong rival attrac¬ 
tion to the church service. The quality of 
its reels strongly condemn it as a substitute 
for a religious service. 

The cry against Sabbath legislation does 
not come from our working people, nor from 
business concerns as a body. Those who 
clamour for the open Sunday are mainly such 
as would take advantage of this day of leisure 
for financial profit at the expense of those 
who are enjoying a day of rest. 

Let Saturday afternoons, certain holidays, 
and the occasional half day off, be the time 
for athletic sports and other amusements. 
Letf the evenings suffice for entertainment; 
but preserve the ancient institution of the 
Sabbath for the purpose on behalf of which 
it was instituted. 

The high speed twentieth century people 
need the Sabbath just as much as did the an¬ 
cients, and a great deal more. Those who 
lived the simple life of long ago, laboured far 
less under a strain than the people of the 
present time. 

Surely we do not want the continental Sab- 


100 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


bath in America. We do not want our in¬ 
dustrial plants and places of business open on 
the Sabbath. We do not want it to be a day 
of hilarity and debauchery. If we retain it 
as a great rest and home day, and a day for 
good reading and church going, our civiliza¬ 
tion and prosperity are secure. If we fail 
in this, we will find ourselves on the tobog¬ 
gan, which will speed us to that level to which 
other nations fell, who thus debauched them¬ 
selves. 

No plea is made here for fanaticism. 
Much that has been done in the interest of 
Sabbath observance is unreasonable. Works 
of real necessity are always in order. Many 
questions arise which each one must answer 
for himself, as to what he should or should 
not do on the Sabbath day. The man who 
would not unload his beast of burden because 
the Sabbath began before he had time to do 
so, was exceedingly cruel. In ancient wars 
there occurred a number of Jewish slaughters 
because they would not fight on their Sabbath 
days. Any one that would not eat an egg 
which a chicken laid on the Sabbath day is 
surely suffering from an overworked con¬ 
science. Jesus had a good deal of contro¬ 
versy with fanatical Sabbatarians. He told 
them that it is lawful to do good on the Sab- 


HOW OBSERVE THE SABBATH f 101 


bath. He did many acts of mercy on that day 
in spite of criticism. There are numerous 
household details that must be attended to on 
the Sabbath. The average sensible person 
can usually be trusted to decide for himself 
what does or does not violate the true spirit 
of the day. 

It has been a matter of controversy as to 
which day should be observed. One day is 
not more holy than another. It is important 
that it should, on an average, be one day in 
seven. France at one time tried the experi¬ 
ment of observing one day in ten as a Sab¬ 
bath, but it was not a success, and they fell 
back again upon the Biblical regulation. The 
Hebrews have for ages regarded Saturday as 
their Sabbath. The early Christians began to 
worship on Sunday, because it was the day of 
their Lord's resurrection. It was on Sunday 
that the Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit 
occurred. For a while, Christians of Jewish 
descent observed two Sabbaths,—the Jewish, 
and the Christian. Later, only the one was 
observed. If the people of any country 
should agree to observe any other day of the 
week as a day of rest, recreation, and re¬ 
ligious service, they would derive the full 
benefit of Sabbath observance. 

Sabbath observance is an index of charac- 


102 TWELVE LIVE-WIEE QUESTIONS 

ter. You can tell quite accurately what a man 
is by the way he spends his Sabbaths. If any 
one is prosperous without Sabbath observ¬ 
ance, it is almost a certain thing that his par¬ 
ents observed the Sabbath. His children are 
almost certain, however, to make a failure of 
life. 

Many criminals will tell you that their 
career in crime began with Sabbath desecra¬ 
tion. In a Sabbath-keeping community life 
and property are safer than in other com¬ 
munities. In a New England state there is a 
community in which there were six families 
that did not keep the Sabbath. In the course 
of time, five of these were broken up by di¬ 
vorce, and the husband of the sixth became a 
thief. Nine parents became drunkards, one 
committed suicide, and all became poor. Of 
forty or fifty descendents, half became 
drunkards, gamblers, and dissolute. Five 
were sent to state prison. One was killed in 
a fight, and some are in almshouses. One be¬ 
came a Christian, rescued from a dissolute 
life. In another community there lived five 
Sabbath-keeping families. All have done 
well. Most of them are church members. 
All are good citizens. One is a minister, and 
one a missionary to China. The neighbour¬ 
hood is free from crime. All have accumu- 


HOW OBSERVE THE SABBATH t 103 

lated property, and the old homesteads are 
still in the hands of the descendents. 

Thus we see that the institution of the Sab¬ 
bath is not an arbitrary decree of God, but 
one fundamental to our prosperity and up¬ 
lift. He desires the Sabbath also to be His 
great home day in this world; the day on which 
His children in a reverent and loving man¬ 
ner assemble in their Father’s house and draw 
nigh unto Him, seeking a better acquaint¬ 
anceship with Him, and declaring their devo¬ 
tion and loyalty to Him. This becomes the 
day in which He in an especial manner lays 
His hands of sacred benediction on their 
heads, and imparts unto them His peace. 
When this happens it is indeed a holy Sab¬ 
bath day. 


XII 


WHY HAS THERE BEEN A CONTRO¬ 
VERSY ABOUT THE PERSON OF 
JESUS CHRIST? 

J ESUS has been variantly understood. 
Many explanations have been presented 
to account for His life, as set forth in 
the New Testament. The people of His 
home community felt sure-that no good thing 
could come out of Nazareth, and rejected 
Him on this general principle. When Jesus 
asked His disciples, “ Who do men say that 
I am?” they answered that some say He is 
Elijah, and others that He is a prophet. 
Herod concluded that He must be John the 
Baptist whom he beheaded. 

Many of the Jewish leaders of His day re¬ 
garded Him as a blasphemer and an impos¬ 
tor, because He made Himself equal with 
God. And for this reason they secured His 
crucifixion. Jesus did call Himself God’s 
“ only begotten Son.” He said: “ He that 
hath seen me hath seen the Father also,” and 
“ I and the Father are one.” When Jesus 
104 


CONTROVERSY CONCERNING JESUS? 105 


asked His disciples whom they say that He is, 
Peter, speaking for the group, said: “Thou 
art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Those who accepted His leadership re¬ 
garded Him as uniquely divine. They wor¬ 
shipped Him. Paul regarded Him as God. 
The primitive Christians met on the first day 
of the week, celebrating His resurrection, and 
worshipped Him. 

The Ebionite Christians, in apostolic times, 
denied the deity of Jesus. Throughout the 
centuries these have had their successors. 
Present-day Unitarianism is the latest expres¬ 
sion of this view. 

In an effort to define the Trinity, some 
have held that God, as Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit, takes these varying modes of mani¬ 
festing His unitary being. 

Paul of Samosata held that Christ was hu¬ 
man, but had certain supernatural endue- 
ments given Him to live the life He did. 
William E. Channing, in the earlier part of 
the previous century, held substantially this 
view. 

A great controversy arose, a few centuries 
after Christ, concerning the person of Jesus. 
There were those who said that He was 
highly exalted, but not quite equal with God; 
that God the Father created Him, and so He 


106 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


became His Son. Origen refuted this view, 
saying that God never changes and hence 
must eternally have been Father. 

There were those who held to the view that 
Jesus was of the same substance with the Fa¬ 
ther; others, that He was not of the same 
substance, but like substance. A great breach 
occurred in Christendom as a result of this 
controversy, and much persecution ensued. 
It was not merely a controversy among the¬ 
ologians, but laymen discussed this matter in 
their shops, and on the streets, much after 
the order of the discussion of political issues 
in heated campaigns of our time. The one 
side said that Jesus was “ homoousion,” same 
substance, the other side said He was 
“ homceousion, ,, like substance. 

It has been argued by some that the nar¬ 
ratives we have of Jesus, His miracles and 
teaching, are all myths. But this argument 
falls to pieces by its own incoherent and 
clumsy weight. The Gospels and Epistles are 
good historic documents. They tell who His 
parents and ancestors were, where and when 
He lived, the time and place of the perform¬ 
ance of His miracles, the exact day of His 
crucifixion and resurrection. They give a 
continuous story, all properly and historically 
related. When you find such a record, it is 


'CONTROVERSY CONCERNING JESUS? 107 

good history. Writers of myths are not 
likely to be so specific. Those who spread 
abroad the information about Jesus were per¬ 
secuted. They persisted in relating the story, 
even if it resulted in their martyrdom. Paul 
would not have travelled and suffered as he 
did for a myth and falsehood. People will not 
suffer martyrdom for what they do not them¬ 
selves believe. The same can be said to those 
who suggest that the accounts of Jesus are 
merely pious frauds. The sufferings of many 
martyrs of the primitive Church emphatically 
say, “ No! ” to that explanation. 

The story of Jesus is so wonderful in its 
plot and purpose that it would have required 
a Christ to invent a Christ. The narrative of 
Jesus is absolutely unique in the world's lit¬ 
erature. 

It has been said that Jesus was not original. 
Certain sayings of His have been discovered, 
in slightly different form, in other oriental 
writings. But Max Muller himself says that 
he discovered these in such a mass of rot, that 
if he published everything associated with 
them he would be placed under arrest for 
dealing in matters shockingly vulgar. 

It has been stated that it is a human trait 
to worship heroes. Emperors have been dei¬ 
fied and worshipped. Mythical gods, an- 


108 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


thropomorphic in their conception, have been 
devised and worshipped. They hold that the 
story of Jesus falls into this class. But 
where can you match the account of Jesus in 
the world’s literature? There is a wide ex¬ 
panse between mythologic stories and the 
gospel narratives. There is no comparison 
between the two, so that the one should sug¬ 
gest the other. 

What is the safest and most tenable con¬ 
clusion concerning the person of Jesus? We 
believe it to be this: He is the Messiah fore¬ 
told by the old Hebrew prophets. However, 
a greater Christ came than the most far-see¬ 
ing one among them could discern. That is 
why He was rejected on the part of those 
who should have been the first to recognize 
Him. He did not fulfill the popular expecta¬ 
tion; but He did infinitely more. 

Believing that He was God in human form 
does not necessitate discarding the virgin 
birth. It is just what you would expect on 
the part of God revealing Himself in human 
flesh. It all helps to explain His career as 
Son of God, and Son of Man. The account 
of the astonishment of the learned men, when 
Jesus conversed with them at the temple, 
when He was twelve years of age, His bap¬ 
tism and temptation, all have their place in 


CONTROVERSY CONCERNING JESTJS? 109 


such a story. That God the Creator should 
with great ease perform such miracles as 
Jesus did, is just what you would expect. 
That He should submit teachings that have 
never been equalled, and never outgrown, is 
exactly what we should anticipate. That He 
should make Himself an offering for human 
sin, through His passion and death, thus 
finding a way of reconciling men with God, 
is all in harmony with what a loving, divine 
Saviour would do. That He should furnish 
a remedy for sin is readily to be believed. 

He claimed to be sinless. This has never 
been seriously disputed. The greatest miracle 
concerning Jesus is His sinless life. God in 
human form, of necessity, would be sinless. 

The account of His resurrection and as¬ 
cension makes the story complete. 

We need not resort to metaphysics to ac¬ 
count for Christ. We would likely go astray 
if we did; but not because there is anything 
unreasonable about His life and claims. He 
cannot be accounted for as other men. 

We need not stumble at the doctrine of the 
Trinity. If God was eternally Father, it im¬ 
plies eternal Sonship. Created in the image 
of our heavenly Father, we are social beings. 
Hence God is a social Being. He loves; an 
unchanging God eternally has loved; and to 


110 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


love, one must have an object of love. He 
has in Himself the requirements to gratify 
His social nature. If there had been a lone, 
unitary God, for eternities before any crea¬ 
tion occurred, how lonely He would have 
been. But being a unitary tripersonality He 
could maintain a social fellowship with Him¬ 
self, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This 
is not tritheism, it is merely Biblical trinita- 
rianism. You say that you could not conceive 
of such a being; but could you conceive of, or 
comprehend, an infinite unitary God? The 
fact that you cannot comprehend God does 
not disprove Him. 

Subjecting the doctrine of the Trinity to a 
practical test, we find that it works. A doc¬ 
trine has value to the extent of what it is 
capable of doing. It is a comfort to know 
God as Father. It is a joy to know Him as a 
human, divine Saviour. He comes so close 
to our humanity as such a Christ. Somehow, 
by faith, we realize that His blood cleanses 
from sin, and Christ is formed in us the hope 
of glory. Blood represents life. Jesus gives 
His life for us, and to us. His living self in 
us cleanses, and heals. Is this a mystery? 
Life throughout is a profound mystery. To 
believe in the Holy Spirit is a great comfort. 
It assures us that “ Spirit with spirit can 


CONTROVERSY CONCERNING JESUS? Ill 


meet.” The Holy Spirit is the medium 
through which men can experience God in the 
soul. 

Unbelief and denial do not remove a fact. 
In spite of all opposition, persecution, and de¬ 
nial, Christ is an increasing reality in the 
world. The predictions concerning the over¬ 
throw of His cause have never been verified. 
The enemies of Jesus might as well say with 
Julian the Apostate, “ Thou Galilean hast 
conquered! ” The only explanation of the 
person of Jesus that satisfactorily explains is 
that He was, and is, God in human form. 

A learned French agnostic complained to 
Tallyrand that it is so difficult to launch a new 
religion. He told him that he devised an in¬ 
telligent, rational religion to take the place of 
a worn-out superstition. But he said that peo¬ 
ple do not seem to appreciate it. Tallyrand 
assured him that it is the easiest thing in the 
world, if he goes about it in the right way. 
When he asked him what the right way was, 
he replied, “ Teach your new religion, then 
get yourself crucified, and on the third day 
arise from the dead, and you will have no 
trouble getting people to believe in it.” 

The influence of the life of Jesus has been 
so greatly in advance of all others that have 
ever lived that we must readily concede that 


112 TWELVE LIVE-WIRE QUESTIONS 


it cannot be accounted for as can other lives. 
Jesus Himself is the great dynamic in Chris¬ 
tianity that gives it its potency in the world, 
and has enabled it to tread the path of the 
conqueror in its march down the centuries. 

It is said that Charles Lamb and some of 
his literary friends were amusing themselves 
by imagining how they would act if some of 
the great literary characters of the past 
should suddenly appear among them. Charles 
Lamb said, “If Shakespeare would appear 
among us we would all arise; but if Jesus 
should appear, we should all kneel. ,, 

That is the only becoming attitude before 
the Christ, after obtaining an honest and un¬ 
prejudiced acquaintanceship with Him. 

It was a divine, crucified, and resurrected 
Christ that the early Christians believed in, 
and proclaimed to others, and under the guid¬ 
ance and blessing of the Holy Spirit, they 
prevailed in marvellous fashion. The same 
Christ is capable of dealing successfully with 
all the vexing problems of the nineteenth cen¬ 
tury, and of saving from sin all who believe 
on Him. 


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